


Back in Town

by Littlestsociopath



Series: Is Ordinary Too Much To Ask For [2]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: F/F, F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-15
Updated: 2021-03-23
Packaged: 2021-03-23 22:48:06
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 26
Words: 41,907
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30062721
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Littlestsociopath/pseuds/Littlestsociopath
Series: Is Ordinary Too Much To Ask For [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2187519
Kudos: 2





	1. Thunder

Scott makes sure Allison gets home okay after they are all sent away from the hospital. Allison is trying not to look at him, because since Violet said her piece, every time she looks at him, she realizes more and more what she has to do and it hurts.   
He doesn’t understand why she says what she says, and she won’t tell him about what Violet said because she knows Violet only said it because she cared and was worried and she had every right to be. Allison does not want to cause a problem for Violet, not for trying to protect her brother.   
So, she leaves Scott standing in the doorway, confused and sad and she doesn’t look back because she can’t bare to see his face. Because she doesn’t want things to be over, and they have to be.   
She can’t tell if she is crying because of Scott, or Lydia, or Kate or just how much happened in such a short amount of time. But she is crying when she sees her parents, sat at the dining table with bags on it. “What is this?” Allison asks. Her mother stands up.   
“We are going away,” she says.   
“What?” Allison asks.  
“Kate’s funeral will be after spring break,” her dad tries to explain. “All the family will be travelling down, but as for the next two weeks, we are all going to go away, take a family break, and mourn without the eyes of everyone in Beacon Hills seeing your aunt as a killer.”  
“My friend is in the hospital, I can’t just go,” Allison says.   
“Yes,” her mother says, “you can and you are.”  
“Spring break isn’t for another week,” Allison says.  
“Well, aren’t you a lucky girl, you get an extra week off,” her mother says, hanging her an empty bag, “go pack.”

Scott walks back home, the storm starts as he walks, the thunder, the lightening, like the sky feels it too. Jade and Violet are sat in the sofa, Violet is starting to fall asleep and Jade keeps bumping her shoulder, trying to keep her awake. Jade slept at the hospital, but not Violet, and all the stress is catching up to her, but with the storm, Violet won’t go to sleep.   
“What are you both doing here?” Scott asks, trying no mask his sadness, and failing.  
“We got sent home from the hospital, by mum, same as you,” Violet says.  
“You’re exhausted Violet, go to bed,” Scott says.  
“I can’t the storm,” Violet mumbles. Scott looks confused.   
“You have seen enough lightening in your life Violet, I know you think it’s pretty but go to bed,” Scott says.   
“It’s me,” Jade says, “I don’t like being alone when there is thunder, the sound, it… I can’t explain it. I just stirs something, something awful.”  
“Well, in that case,” Scott says, “Violet go to bed, I’ll keep Jade company, I am not going to sleep tonight anyway.”  
“It’s okay, I can look after Jade, it’s like the one thing I can do,” Violet says.  
“You will?” Jade asks Scott, who nods. “Go to sleep Violet, you’ve looked after me plenty, let me look after you.”  
Violet, too tired to argue, moves upstairs to go to bed. Scott sits next to Jade, by the window. Jade sees the sadness, and a part of her knows that it can’t just be the same worry, the same sadness. “Are you okay Scott?” she asks.  
“Allison broke up with me,” Scott says.  
“What?” Jade asks.  
“Yeah,” Scott says, voice heavy. “I walked her home and she ended things.”  
“You got her back once,” Jade says. Scott shakes his head.  
“This is different, it feels different, permanent,” Scott says.   
“I’m sorry,” Jade says, “you two were good together. I was rooting for you.”  
“You’re a good person Jade,” Scott says.  
“I’m sorry to keep you up like this,” Jade says, wincing at some ill-timed thunder.   
“I like your company,” Scott says. Jade smiles a little, just at the corners, but enough for him to notice.  
“I like yours,” Jade says. Jade’s phone rings and she sees it, Allison’s name, and she looks at Scott, who hasn’t noticed. “Can you wait here a minute?”  
“Sure,” Scott says as Jade gets up to take the call.   
“Allison?” she asks as she moves into the kitchen.   
“I’m sorry, I know it’s late,” Allison says and Jade can hear that she has been crying from the sound of her voice. “But I didn’t know who else to call.”  
“Talk to me,” Jade says, “is it about the breakup?”  
“No,” Allison says, “but that hurts, lots. It’s my parents, they are making me go away with them, until after spring break?”  
“Allison, what? Why?” Jade asks.  
“I didn’t tell you?” Allison asks. “I was so worried about Lydia… It’s my aunt, Kate…”  
“What about her Allison?”  
“They found her body tonight.”  
When Jade finishes are call Scott is waiting in the doorway, she doesn’t know that he could hear it all, but he did, hear it all. “Allison’s aunt,” Jade says, shaking.   
“I know,” Scott says, “it has been one messy awful night.”  
“I just, I don’t know how to help, I hate feeling like this,” Jade says. Without thinking Scott just hugs her, tight, he doesn’t know what else to do. “I’m sorry,” Jade whispers.  
“Jade, you are probably one of the only people I know who doesn’t owe me an apology at all,” he says. She just hugs him back, trying not to cry, or shake too much or show how much it’s all building up. “The storm stopped,” Scott says, “you should probably get to bed.”  
“I,” Jade starts thinking, wondering if her parents would even know what happened tonight, if they’d wonder where she is, but she doesn’t want to go home, she isn’t going home.   
“You can take my bed, I am not sleeping,” Scott says.  
“No,” Jade says.   
“Okay, then at least have mums, she would want you to rest comfortable,” Scott says.   
“I don’t think anything is going to make me feel comfortable right now,” Jade says, “I am too worried and too…”  
“Sad?” Scott asks. Jade pulls away. “It’s okay to be sad Jade, you don’t have to pretend not to be, not for my sake.”  
“I just… Violet said a lot of things go wrong in Beacon Hills, and I believed her,” Jade says, “but this is a lot for one night.”  
“Jade no one expects you to just take it on, it’s messy,” Scott says, “but that’s why we have friends, why we have family,” Jade won’t meet his eye, “even if that family isn’t bound by blood.”  
“I’ll take your mums bed,” Jade agrees after a moment.   
“Let me make you a cup of tea,” Scott says. Jade laughs.  
“Do you even know how?”  
“Can you show me?”  
“Sure, golden boy, I can show you.”


	2. Are You Accusing Me Stilinski?

Jade manages a smile as she passes Stiles, who is sat with a bunch of books besides Lydia’s room, a lunch she prepared for him. She was coming to deliver food to Melissa anyway, and since Violet said she would be with Stiles, she knew where to find him. He smiles at her. “I have forgotten to eat,” he admits.

“Has she eaten?” Jade asks, nodding to Violet who is sat on the floor with books and three half empty cups of hospital coffee.

“I doubt it,” Stiles says.

“I brought snacks,” Violet says, not looking up but pulling a bag of crisps and a packet of cookies from the bag under her jacket.

“Promise me you’ll eat a vegetable at some point today,” Jade says. Violet pulls out a highlighter and pulls the cap off with her teeth. “Violet?”

“I promise,” Violet says.

“Can you give this to your mum, or do you know where she is?” Jade asks. “I want to give it to her but I don’t want to be late for work.”

“You got the job?” Violet asks, looking at her. Jade smiles, nodding. “I’m proud of you.”

“A job, why?” Stiles asks.

“Because some of us need the money,” Jade says. “Catch you both later.”

Jade finds Melissa around the corner and hands her some lunch. She smiles and pulls her into a hug. “Thank you,” Melissa says, “you are an angel. Are you here with Stiles and Violet?”

“No, actually I just stopped by on my way to work,” Jade says.

“You came by just to bring me food?” Melissa asks.

“Well, Stiles too,” Jade says. Melissa gives Jade’s arm a little squeeze.

“You are so sweet,” she says, “I have to get back to work.”

“I need to get to work,” Jade says. She passes Lydia’s room again as she leaves, she knows why Stiles is here, and she knows that Violet is doing everything in her power to make sure he doesn’t just sit in a chair worried the whole time. She is distracting him, like a good little sister. Jade knows Violet isn’t still talking to Scott properly, and even with Allison and everything that has happened, they are still in some kind of argument, this time Scott seems almost as mad at Violet as Violet is mad at Scott. Sibling relationships, especially Scott and Violet, are complicated. Jade can’t just sit in the hospital though, not like Stiles, she needs to feel useful and there is nothing she can do for Lydia right now. So instead, she is going to work, and when she isn’t at work, she is doing the thing that Violet cannot do, and checking in with Scott. Allison left for the airport the morning after the dance, and she has messaged Jade, but she hasn’t reached out to anyone else, it has only been a few days but it clearly bothers Scott. Jade just wants to make sure he is okay, Allison is with family, grieving, getting through, but Scott, Scott is mostly alone, and Jade can’t bare the thought of that.

“Last week of school tomorrow,” Stiles says, handing Violet a book.

“Do you think this is accurate?” Violet asks pointing to a section about werewolves.

“I don’t think so,” Stiles says, “but are you just avoiding my point?”

“I can’t believe they actually expect us to go back to school for a dumb week, can’t they give us anything, Lydia was attacked on their grounds,” Violet says.

“I agree with you entirely, want to protest it and not go with me,” Stiles says.

“I have to go, I can’t afford to miss class,” Violet says.

“Oh, yeah, the delight of the chemistry assignment on Monday,” Stiles says. “He is such a dick he will likely expect us to complete it over spring break.”

“He is a dick,” Violet agrees.

“You’re paired with Jade, I can imagine,” Stiles says, “so you have nothing to worry about.”

“Why because Jade and I can fail chemistry together?” Violet laughs.

“At least your partner won’t be howling at the moon or getting themselves involved with people with claws, threatening your grades,” Stiles says.

“If Scott doesn’t give you the time then I will kick his ass for you,” Violet says.

“I don’t think you need an excuse to kick his ass,” Stiles says, “you are still mad at him.”

“I know, and are you saying I shouldn’t be?” Violet asks.

“You did ask him to leave the girl he has painful puppy love for,” Stiles says.

“That isn’t exactly what happened,” Violet says. Stiles looks at her, seriousness in his face.

“Do I even need to ask who put the idea in Allison’s head, I saw you both talking,” Stiles says.

“Are you accusing me Stilinski?” Violet asks.

“I know what you will do to protect people,” Stiles says, “even if it makes you seem like an asshole.”

“I am an asshole, I asked people who were happy together to stop being together,” Violet says, “even if it was the right reasons.”

“They both know you’re right, I told Scott that her family being hunters would eventually be a problem, it is better that they end things right now, rather than get more happy and have it be ruined, or you know… Scott end up hurt because of Allison,” Stiles says.

“If you’re trying to make me feel better, stop,” Violet says.

“Here,” Stiles says handing her another article. “That one feels good for your book.”

“Thank you,” she says, taking it. A doctor passes by and heads to check on Lydia and Stiles gets up so fast he knocks half the books on the floor. Violet is already picking them up before he can apologize, she waves a hand at him to tell him to pester the doctor instead of her and he does.

Jade is clearing tables when Jackson Whittemore walks in, he takes one look at her and smiles. Jade could smash the glass in her hand, but she doesn’t, because she needs the job and doesn’t want to sink to that level, not for Jackson.

“Jade,” he says, “are you working?”

“Some of us do have jobs Jackson, not all of us rely on others,” Jade whispers, not loud enough for him to hear but enough for him to get the idea she doesn’t want to talk to him, or be around him.

“Have I offended you, in some way Jade?”

“Jackson, I am at work, I am trying to be professional about this, so if you, and your itchy sweater personality, could not talk to me right now, it would be appreciated,” Jade says, trying to leave the area where he is. But he follows her.

“I don’t get it, I get why Violet hates me, she always has, she has issues,” Jackson says.

“I would strongly suggest you refrain from talking about Violet,” Jade says.

“But I haven’t done anything to you,” Jackson says, “and if it’s about Lydia.”

Jade puts the glasses she was carrying down a little harder than expected on the side. “Yes, Jackson, amongst other things, it is about Lydia, she has been in the hospital for four days, maybe the first two could be overlooked, maybe forgiven, you were there when they brought her in, so many you just needed some time, but Stiles and Violet have been there all weekend and they haven’t seen you. Do you think that’s okay? Do you think Lydia, in the hospital, doesn’t deserve a moment of your time?”

“She isn’t my girlfriend anymore,” Jackson says. Jade can’t even look at him.

“Jackson, putting aside the idea you are valuing Lydia’s wellbeing on the idea of what she provides to you, or what she now doesn’t provide to you, even putting that side. Lydia was the best and only good thing about you Jackson, she was the only thing that stopped me letting Violet key your car-,”

“Don’t act innocent Jade, you punched me in the throat,” Jackson says.

“And if you don’t leave my space and take your godawful energy with you, I will probably do worse.”

“How was work?” Scott asks when Jade walks in the door. He was waiting for her, not that he would admit that.

“Alright, besides Jackson,” Jade says. Scott hands her a cup of tea, it isn’t great but he is trying, and he is sweet for trying. Jade smiles at him and he smiles back, still a sadness in his eyes. He is so sweet, so cute and right now sad and single and Jade has to stop looking at him for too long because she knows he loves Allison and she doesn’t want to be just a distraction, and she owes Allison that much.

“Want me to key his car?” Violet calls from the other room.

“Vi, I didn’t know you were going to be back already?” Jade asks. Violet walks through, ignoring Scott’s existence, toast in hand.

“I wasn’t planning on being, but there was a rush and I left so Stiles was allowed to stay,” Violet says. Jade smiles at her.

“Aren’t you good,” Jade says.

“I was only keeping him company anyway, I can’t really help much,” Violet says, “so I thought I would come home, catch up on the last of Coach’s reading, I wasn’t sure if you’d come back here, didn’t know when you’d finish.”

“I’m here, did you need anything?” Jade asks. Violet just places a hand on her arm.

“Just, it’s always good to see you,” she says, before opening the fridge and pulling out some snacks.

“I’ll put some dinner on,” Jade says.

“Jade you don’t have to do that,” Scott says. Violet looks at Jade, how she must be struggling with everything, Lydia, Allison… Scott.

“Can I grab you a second?” Violet asks. “I just want to check something with you?”

Jade walks to the hallway with Violet, Violet knows Scott will still listen if he wants to, but it isn’t about that, it is more about not being around him if she can help it. “So, I think I know the answer, but with everything that has happened lately, the last thing I want to do is assume things, so I have to ask you something and if you say what I think you will say, it is all I shall say on the matter, okay?” Violet asks.

“Okay, are you alright?” Jade asks. Violet nods.

“I’m okay, just say I knew stuff, stuff about the world stuff that would change your perspective on things,” Violet says. Jade has seen Lydia’s wounds, and no matter what the police say there is not really a simple explanation for it. But whatever the reason is, she doesn’t want to know. Violet has made her watch enough horror movies to know, she doesn’t want to know.

“Need to know,” Jade says. “You know me, if I don’t need to know, I don’t need to know.”

“I thought you’d say that,” Violet says, pulling some of the red and white peppermint swirls from her pocket and handing them to her. “I am going to get some work done, I’m upstairs if he becomes too irritating.”

“I think that is a you, problem,” Jade says.

“Just because you think he’s,” she mouths “pretty,” so Scott won’t hear her and Jade just rolls her eyes.

“I’m going to cook you dinner so I know you’ve had some vegetables.”

“Aren’t you such a good caregiver.”

“Violet?”

“Yes.”

“Shush.”


	3. Thank Me Later

“Now about the upcoming project, I know you all have such difficulty making choices, so we went to the effort of pairing you, so you didn’t have to,” Mr. Harris says. “I will expect to see progress on this first lesson back after spring break, so do not disappoint me, I am not afraid to fail you.”

Jade opens her mouth to say something and Violet eyes her. “I forgot,” Jade says. “With work and Lydia, and Allison, I forgot.”

“What did you forget?” Violet asks.

“It seemed like a good idea at the time, and I am still convinced it is a work of genius, maybe my finest medaling yet,” Jade says.

“Oh, you didn’t,” Stiles says looking at the pairing sheet Mr. Harris hands to him. “You are sneaky, aren’t you?” Stiles smiles at her and the way Jade prides herself in it stirs something in him, she looks brighter, happier, and so sneaky.

“What did you do?” Violet asks, trying to snatch the list from Stiles hands, but Stiles is too quick and she misses.

“I offered to help Mr. Harris for extra credit and amongst being one of the dumbest choices I have ever made, one of the menial tasks he asked of me was to set up the pairs,” Jade says.

“Why are you so weird about that? We work well together, even if we both suck at this,” Violet says.

“I’m with Erica,” Jade says. Erica smiles, and tries not to laugh.

“I’m sorry what?” Violet asks. Stiles hands her the sheet. Scott and Stiles, Allison and Lydia, Jade and Erica. And Violet and Isaac. “You.”

“Yeah, yeah, thank me later,” Jade says.

“Can I kill you later?” Violet asks. “With my bare hands?”

“You love me really,” Jade says.

“Now go sit in your pairs and if I hear one complaint, I will fail you,” Mr. Harris says. Violet looks to the back of the class, where Isaac sits by himself, and then she glares at Jade.

“I’m going to kill you,” she says getting up. “Strangle you.”

“Too short for that,” Jade says blowing her a kiss as she moves to sit with Isaac. Isaac looks very surprised.

“We have chemistry,” Violet says sitting down.

“I guess we do,” Isaac says. “Was this?”

“Oh yeah, Jade, all the way, she loves to interfere,” Violet says.

“I don’t mind that much,” Isaac says. “Worse things in the world than being partnered with a pretty girl.”

“Smooth,” Violet says, trying not to smile too much. “I think, that might have been the first time you complimented me, must be a record.”

“I don’t,” Isaac pauses, “I can’t say this in a cool way.”

“Seems to be a theme,” Violet says, “but go on.”

“I don’t talk to girls much,” he says. Violet looks him up and down again and without thinking just says the first thing that crosses her mind.

“With that jawline, why not?” Violet asks. He smiles, in the way that she has only ever see him smile, half a smile, like he needs to remind himself to do it. Like he doesn’t know how to really smile and mean it. “Dude, bro, pal, am I making it worse or better?”

“You two, stop talking,” Mr. Harris says.

“Probably for the best,” Violet admits. Isaac looks away, the shyness taking over again, and it reminds her why she promised herself to stay away, from this one boy. Something she has never asked herself to do before, show some restraint. It isn’t about what Jackson said, but it also is. She doesn’t care if he is sad and broken, not in the way Jackson thought she would, she just, doesn’t want to be the thing that shatters him, and she knows she could be. Violet is very good at sweet talk, at flirting, at the moments you remember after the person is long gone, but at real stuff, at the real important parts of actual relationships, Violet doesn’t hold up. They never last, she never wanted them to. She never understood people like Lydia, high school relationships seemed so unimportant. The most secure relationship Violet has ever had is the one she keeps with Jade, and that works so well because of the family aspect of it. And looking at Isaac, she doesn’t just want to break his heart, so she has to stay away, even if he is incredibly interesting for her, and more and more by each moment.

“So,” Isaac says as they start to pack up. “About the project.”

“I can come by yours?” Violet asks. “You live opposite Jackson, right, unfortunately I know that area well enough, I think I nearly broke my ankle on that road.”

“I,” Isaac wants to protest but is distracted by the anecdote. “Why?”

“Skateboard incident, my bad,” Violet admits. “When are you free?”

“Can we go to yours instead?” Isaac asks. Violet laughs.

“No,” Violet says, “my house is… not viable, with Stiles and my asshole brother, Jade is a delight obviously but I do not want her… medaling.”

“I…” Isaac says, “when?”

“She’s free tonight,” Jade says.

“I thought we had a thing,” Violet says, throwing her a look.

“No, I have work,” Jade says.

“I guess I’ll see you after school,” Violet says and before Isaac can say anything else on the matter, Jade is pulling her away.

Violet hits her head on her locker. “I can’t believe you let me make a fool of myself,” Violet says, looking at Jade.

“You didn’t,” Jade says.

“I did,” Violet says, “and I can’t do this.”

“I want you to have nice things,” Jade says, “he seems like a nice thing.”

“Too nice,” Violet says, “which is exactly why I am trying to protect him from the mess that I am.”

“Please,” Jade says, “if I can handle you, the boy can.”

“I don’t have the time to argue that right now,” Violet says, “we are going to be late for second period.”

“So when you were at boarding school, did you get into a lot of trouble?” Stiles asks. Violet laughs.

“I caused a lot of trouble,” Violet says.

“She rarely gets caught,” Jade says, “you have me to thank for that mostly. She is good at getting into trouble and I am good at getting us out of it, usually.”

“Are we talking about the water balloons again?” Violet asks.

“Holy water was not a funny defense to use on a nun,” Jade says.

“It would have been if you let me,” Violet says.

“I think I need further explanation,” Stiles says. Both the girls know what he means, he needs to be distracted, being at school when he just wants to be at the hospital, is hard, but at least Jade and Violet make it a little easier. Especially Jade.

“So, I caught Violet trying to soak some girls in the year below, with water balloons while they were sunbathing, I didn’t ask how she got on the roof because Violet has a tendency to get into all sorts of weird places, but when I asked how she would explain herself, that was her excuse,” Jade says.

“Why were there nuns and sunbathing girls in the same place?” Stiles asks.

“The convent was opposite the park,” Violet says. “I would say that was a poor choice but from my experience, those nuns have stopped a lot of people making poor choices.”

“Except for you,” Jade points out.

“Except for the time that nun caught me making out with Nancy in the shed,” Violet laughs.

“A joke,” Stiles says, finally thinking he has got a handle on the two of them.

“No, that actually happened.”

“How did you two lead such interesting lives in three years and I was stuck with your brother?” Stiles asks.

“You love my brother,” Violet says.

“Stop saying that like it’s a sin,” Jade says, “you love him too.”

“I just don’t like him very much right now,” Violet says.

“You need to get over it,” Jade says.

“Jade,” Violet says mocking tone, “are you telling me how I should feel?”

“I would never and you know that,” Jade says, passing her a coffee.

“Where did you get that?” Stiles asks.

“I brought coffee for Violet today because she has been drinking hospital coffee for days and she is a little bitchy when she is uncaffeinated,” Jade says.

“I think I’m just bitchy,” Violet says.

“I would say don’t do anything I wouldn’t do,” Stiles jokes, watching Violet wait for Isaac, “but I am pretty sure I don’t have the right to.”

“I am pretty sure that it really depends on if you mean, what you wouldn’t do, or couldn’t do,” Violet says, tapping his face.

“Ouch,” Stiles says.

“Are you okay to drive Jade to work?” Violet asks. “I think she may have neglected to remember I was supposed to be her lift.”

“No, she already asked, and I don’t mind, I like hanging out with Jade,” Stiles says.

“Because she actually acknowledges your existence despite being a pretty girl,” Violet says. Stiles looks at her. “I’m not Lydia bashing, not that I ever am, and especially when she is in the hospital, I meant it light heartedly.”

“I know,” Stiles says, “but you’re right, I don’t know what I did to earn her attention.”

“Jade is great,” Violet says, “and maybe we don’t deserve her but do not let her hear you say that, she will make you regret your words, mostly with baking.”

“But her baking is great,” Stiles says. Violet spots Isaac and waves a small hand. “Oh, you actually like him.”

“What?” Violet asks.

“I thought,” Stiles says, “I kind of thought it was a joke, or a crush, but you like him.”

“I don’t know him,” Violet says.

“But you think you like him,” Stiles says.

“Another word and I will cut out your tongue,” Violet warns him.

“I won’t say a thing, especially not to Scott,” he says.

“That thought hadn’t crossed my mind, but now it has, I must warn you, I will do more than cut off your tongue if you do,” Violet says.

“Pretty boy is waiting,” Jade says joining them both.

“I know, I just, too late to back out?” Violet asks. Jade nudges her forward.

“Go,” she tells her.

“I hate you,” Violet reminds her.

“Love you too.”


	4. Mr. Lahey

Isaac walks next to Violet, slowly, in silence. He keeps glancing at her, knowing she is trying to avoid eye contact. “Violet,” he says slowly, “can I ask you something?”

“Sure,” Violet says.

“Why is your friend so set on putting us in situations like this?” he asks.

“You’re… attractive and Jade doesn’t know when to stop,” Violet says.

“You think I am attractive,” he says.

“Oh, shut up,” Violet says, blushing a little. “I didn’t say I thought, I said you are, that’s objective.”

“Well,” Isaac says, hands in his pockets. “Objectively, you are attractive.”

“I know,” Violet says, bumping into him gently. He is so much taller than her, not that it takes much, but he is just so tall and it makes her smile.

“What?” he asks, “you are doing that thing again.”

“What thing?” Violet asks. “Smiling at me like I’ve done something.”

“Not used to people smiling at you?” Violet asks.

“No,” he admits.

“Oh, then I must do it more,” Violet says. Violet sees Jackson’s house and a small rage builds up in her stomach. Isaac can see the change in her face, and he can see what she sees.

“You really don’t like Jackson much, do you?” he asks.

“Jackson Whittemore is an entitled jackass, who does not know how to treat people, because of his own little insecurities” Violet says. “He treated my brother like shit, he treated my friend like shit, he said some things about…”

“He isn’t so nice to you either,” Isaac says.

“Jackass can say what he likes about me, I don’t care,” Violet says, “because he is just petty because I embarrassed him when we were kids by basically knocking him on his ass for pulling my hair and thinking that would get me to smile. I never really agreed with the idea boys tease you because they like you, sends a bad message, a bad message Jackson likes to send. He is a dick.”

“You knocked him to the floor?” Isaac asks.

“We were kids, the size difference wasn’t as big then,” Violet says.

“But his ego still was I bet,” Isaac says.

“I don’t think you’ve ever talked this much,” Violet says, “but yes, he is mad that I am not like him. Not bitter.”

“About your family?” Isaac asks. Violet stops in her steps, looking at him, and he turns back to look at her.

“You do your research Lahey?” Violet asks, a little flattered.

“Is there a way to say yes to that and sound charming?” Isaac asks.

“Oh, he can flirt,” Violet says. “You’re doing great.” Violet clicks her tongue, reminding herself to keep her distance. Casual flirting, she can do, but the prolonged eye contact, she feels that in her gut and it hurts. “That yours?” Violet says pointing to the door.

“Yeah,” Isaac’s entire expression changes, and Violet can see it. Violet walks up to the door and she notices Isaac isn’t stepping closer.

“You going to let a girl in?” Violet asks.

“I,” Isaac sighs and approaches the door, “I just need to say something beforehand, I really hope you don’t think,” he pauses again, how can he ask her not to think less of him based on the idea she could meet his father and make it sound not bad?

“Don’t think what?” Violet asks as he opens the door.

“Isaac is that you?” comes a voice from inside. “Because how many times do I have to tell you if you’re going to be late,” his father walks to the door and sees Violet and immediately changes his tone. “Holy shit, you do know real life women, what a surprise that is.” Violet instantly hates this man, based on that comment alone, and from the look of him, she is quickly realizing why Isaac did not want her here. “So, you going to introduce me?”

“Mr. Lahey,” Violet says putting on her happy voice, her talk to the parents voice, and a smile. Isaac sees how false that smile is from a mile away, but Mr. Lahey believes it. Like they always do. “I’m Violet, I am Isaac’s chemistry partner.”

“Nice to meet you Violet,” he says, “I would like to say Isaac has told me about you, but he hasn’t.”

Violet laughs, gently, softly, like she is supposed to. She is actually very glad Isaac hasn’t mentioned her, because it means good things, if he had mentioned her to him, she would be deeply concerned. “That’s alright, I am not surprised,” Violet says, “I’m not very mentionable.”

“A pretty girl like you, I am surprised that my son is on your radar,” he says, she smiles but she wants to hit him, “please come in.”

Mr. Lahey offers her a drink and she wants to say no, but she knows she shouldn’t so she says yes and smiles while he tells Isaac to get her something to drink. She tries to ignore every little comment made in Isaac’s direction and she just looks out the window. “You have a pool,” Violet says.

“Yes,” Mr. Lahey says. “Do you like to swim?”

“I love to swim,” Violet says, not a lie, swimming is the only sport she will willing take part in.

“You could use the pool sometimes,” Mr. Lahey says, “the public pool in Beacon Hills is poorly lacking, I am sure the boy won’t mind. I think he would probably lose his-,”

“Mr. Lahey,” Violet says, cutting him off, hoping to stop whatever he was going to say at Isaac’s expense. “Did you teach swim, my best friend, she is on year book and I have been forced to read nothing short of Beacon Hills High’s entire history.”

“I did yeah,” he says. “Swimming is a great way to unbusy the mind, a respectable sport.” That felt like a jab.

“You like lacrosse, Mr. Lahey?” Violet asks. He looks a little bothered by the question but not enough to slip the façade.

“Lacrosse is a decent sport,” he says.

“Your son is pretty good,” Violet says, “I don’t attend much, not really big on school spirit, being just back after all this time.”

“The accent, you English?” he asks.

“No, just spent a lot of time there, and I was raised on British films, I can’t shake the accent,” Violet says, “but most people don’t mind.”

“So, if you’re not big on sport, what are you interested in?” he asks. “Besides for some bazar reason, my son.”

“Dad, partners, for school,” Isaac says. He nods.

“Sure son,” he winks at Violet and Violet feels like she could throw up.

“I like art, and English, music, poetry, all the unrespectable things,” Violet says. This does, exactly what she hoped it would, and discourages him from talking more. Violet trying to finish her soda as quickly as possible, so she could leave the room to study, is walking around. She sees the photo, on the side, of a family, all four of them, Isaac looks young, and his brother, she didn’t even know he had one.

“Do you want to move,” Isaac says.

“Sure,” Violet says, with ‘please take me far away’ eyes. “I didn’t know you have a brother.”

“I don’t anymore,” Isaac says, closing the door enough that his father shouldn’t hear them talking, but not all the way and it makes Violet have to not look at him. He is… shy and sweet and lacking confidence for a face like that.

“I’m sorry,” Violet says.

“I don’t mean to sound so,” Isaac looks awkward. “I feel like I’ve brought the conversation down a notch.”

“Loss is a bitch blue eyes, you forget I hang with Stilinski, I know what it’s like to lose people,” Violet says. She bites her tongue, not only would a comment about her father leaving be, inappropriate and too much information and far too personal for someone she is trying to keep a distance from. Violet, trying to not look at Isaac instead is somewhat inspecting his room and before he can stop her, she sees them, on the shelf by the far side. “No fucking way.”

“Oh no,” Isaac says, knowing what she sees. Violet reaches into the shelf and pulls out a stack of comic books. “And there goes any chance I had,” Isaac mumbles.

“The Name of The Rose, are you fucking kidding me?” Violet asks, beaming. “I mean, DC over Marvel for comics, but as far as Marvel goes, respectable.”

“What?” Isaac asks. He watches Violet flipping through the comics and he doesn’t know what to say exactly. “Wait, did you honestly just say DC over Marvel.”

“Okay, so Spider-Man comics, fantastic, I love Venom and Spider-Man get’s the best villains, but Marvel overall in comics, not in films, fails to live up to DC,” Violet says.

“You don’t mean that,” Isaac says.

“I definitely do,” Violet says.

“X-Men,” Isaac argues.

“Screw that, DC has better villains than almost all the Marvel comics,” Violet says.

“But besides Batman, what heroes does DC really have, because if you say Superman, get out this house,” Isaac laughs. Violet steps closer, sizing him up now.

“Please, who reads for the heroes?” Violet asks. “The villains are what matter, compelling, interesting, villains, with good reasoning, the ones that make you question morality. Poison Ivy, Deadshot, are you seriously trying to argue something else?”

“You are going to try and argue that Loki isn’t a perfect villain?” Isaac argues. Violet could kiss him in this moment, so easily, so happily, she could because that is the finest argument he could bring to this conversation. She is looking up at him, not realizing how close she got to him in the conversation, so close.

She pulls back but to not make it feel like a distraction, she pulls some comics from her bag. Some Suicide Squad mostly, but amongst them are also Deadpool and a few Vertigo. “Vertigo?” Isaac asks.

“I’m sorry, did you think I was some average little dork, no, I am fully equipped to argue this with you,” Violet says, handing him the comics. “Vertigo has some good content. Some better than both DC and Marvel but quantity they lack-,”

“Okay, iZombie or Sandman?” he asks.

“What?” Violet asks, and she feels it, the clock starting in her chest, this moment, right here, right now, in his bedroom, talking about comic books, she knows, she is well and truly screwed, and it is only a matter of time.

“iZombie or Sandman?” he asks.

“Both,” she says, “but Sandman is artwork, not just a story, Sandman is-,”

“Perfect in every conceivable way literature can be despite being a graphic novel?” Isaac asks. He wants to kiss her and he doesn’t know it but she wants nothing more than to kiss him too, but she is terrified of what she could do to him, not knowing that he would be okay with anything she could throw at him, as long as it was her. She is broken in so many ways and she doesn’t want to put that on him, but so is he and he doesn’t even know just how much she knows that, how much it doesn’t change a thing about how she is starting to feel about him.

They are interrupted by his father, closing the door from the outside, completely ignoring the point Isaac had been trying to make by keeping it slightly open. “I am so sorry about him” Isaac says.

“No,” Violet says, adamantly. “Don’t ever apologize for that, he is not your responsibility.” How quiet he is, the way he doesn’t like to be noticed, the way he doesn’t know how to talk to girls, the shyness, it all makes sense. Mr. Lahey sets off Violet’s bad feelings in a way that she hasn’t felt before. She hates him and she doesn’t even exactly have proof as to why, but the way Isaac is around him, she does not trust that he isn’t worse than she has seen him to be. It makes her appreciate how he is even more, Isaac’s complete defiance in being anything like this father. “Besides you don’t owe me anything. Especially an apology for having difficult… parents.”

“My mum wasn’t,” Isaac says, “my dad he just… since my brother, since everything he hasn’t exactly been himself.”

“Don’t apologize for him but don’t excuse him either,” Violet says. “You can’t control what other people are like, you can only control yourself, and you, Isaac Lahey, seem pretty okay to me.” Violet sits down on his bed and while he stands there, looking at her comics she tries to tell herself all the reasons she should stay away from him, from this sweet guy who is just trying his best to make it out. “So,” Violet says, “how good are you at chemistry, because I confess, I kind of suck at this.”


	5. Normal Families

Stiles is driving Jade back from work, and he picked Violet up on the way. Violet has asked Jade about work, and she can see Jade wanting to ask, it isn’t because she doesn’t think Stiles knows or that Violet would keep it from him, but she knows there is more she will say when it is just them. And if Violet means it when she says she is trying to not get involved with Isaac, her best chance to change her mind is when they are alone. So, they listen to the radio and make small talk. The radio starts playing and a song comes on that causes Violet’s eyes to light up. “Turn it up,” Violet tells Stiles.

“What, the song, turn it up,” Violet tells him tapping on the back of seat.

“The Maine?” Stiles asks.

“Fight me,” Violet says.

“He said, smoke whatever you've got left, it's getting late and we don't have much to lose. Well, she said,” Jade sings.  
“English girls they just like sex,” Violet sings joining in.  
“I couldn't believe when he said I've got news for you,” Jade laughs at Stiles face, as he tries to keep his eyes on the road but is clearly distracted by them both in the back. "American boys do too."  
“American boys do too,” Violet laughs. Stiles turns the radio off. “Hey!”

“I will crash,” he warns her.

The girls don’t stop giggling until he drops them off at Violet’s. Violet doesn’t make it into the front door before Jade practically jumps at her. “Tell me everything, now,” Jade says. Violet sees Scott through the window.

“Okay,” Violet says, “but outside, I don’t need him eavesdropping.”

“Fine,” Jade says, “let’s sit in the van.”

Violet talks and Jade can’t help but smile, she knows she is right, she knows Violet and this is what she wanted for her, that giddy smile, the way her voice shifts when she says his full name, the happiness. “Comic books?” Jade asks. Violet starts to blush. “Don’t ever doubt me again.”

“I never doubted you, I questioned your methods, and I told you I need to stay away from him, but I never doubted you,” Violet says, “the boys practically perfect for me.”

“Then why the sad eyes,” Jade asks.

“Because I can’t risk it, Jade, when I say I need to not get involved with him, I mean it,” Violet says.

“I have never heard you laugh like that, you like him,” she says.

“And you like my brother,” Violet says. Jade knows that isn’t an attack, she knows Violet is making a point she cannot argue with. “How have things been, with him? You’ve been hanging out a lot.”

“He needs a friend,” Jade says.

“A pretty one,” Violet says.

“It’s been a few days,” Jade says, “give me some credit.”

“You’re no rebound girl, and I bet you are still holding out hope for Allison, because you’re just so good like that,” Violet says. She can’t tell Jade why Allison and Scott really broke up, and that is on her, because it so heavily linked with all the things she doesn’t want to know. But she does also feel a little like she hadn’t noticed it at the time, but she was doing something else, she was making space for Scott and Jade. Jade won’t go for it, not if Scott isn’t over Allison, but Violet knows, as painfully awkward as the idea of it is, they would be good together. Jade is Violet’s favourite person in the world, and if she has to date someone that isn’t her, at least she knows Scott is good when it comes down to it, and if Scott has to date, why not date the person who would make him happy and safe.

Jade clicks her fingers. “You in there Violet, do I want to know where your head went?” Jade asks.

“Shut up,” Violet laughs.

“Are you honestly telling me, not even once, you thought something could have happened?” Jade asks, “you aren’t usually this boring.”

“There were several moments where I wanted to kiss him, but I wasn’t going to,” Violet says. Jade flicks her.

“For someone who is so smart, you’re an idiot sometimes.”

“But I do not like this dad,” Violet emphasizes, “not one bit. What I understand about that man, worries me.”

“Are you sure you just don’t like adults,” Jade says, “you didn’t like Macy’s parents either.”

“They were weird,” Violet says, “come on, I know I don’t have the freaky radar you have, but I know bad when I see bad.”

“I believe you,” Jade says. “Just avoid him.”

“Violet can you pass the salt?” Scott asks, leaning across the table.

“Can you pass your classes?” Violet mumbles.

“Behave,” Melissa tells Violet. “We are having a civil family dinner, like normal families do.”

“Normal families, do we know any of those?” Violet asks. Scott shakes his head, smiling a little. It is the calmest interaction the two of them have had since spring formal. Violet sticks her tongue out at him, to let him know he isn’t forgiven but she doesn’t want to be aggressive towards him anymore.

“Actually, I think you are both right,” Melissa says. “Do we know any normal families?”

“Not a one I can think of,” Violet says.

“Does that say more about us or others?” Melissa asks. Violet laughs, getting up to take her glass for a refill.

“I wouldn’t worry about it too much mum,” she tells her.

“Talking of family,” Melissa says. “Where is Jade tonight?”

“She has a late shift at work,” Violet says, looking at the clock. “She doesn’t finish until nine.”

“Has she got a lift home?” Melissa asks, concerned.

“Me,” Violet says. “I don’t mind going to get her, it’s the least I can do.”

“Jade does know she is welcome whenever she wants, right?” Melissa asks. Violet can tell Jean Holland made quite the impression of her.

“She knows.”

Jade is waiting for the last few customers, the late callers, to come in and when Isaac Lahey walks through the door, she is surprised. She knows a little about what he does after school, but dinner this late? Was he at the cemetery again? She guesses, a lot of people die in Beacon Hills, it wouldn’t be surprising.

Another waitress goes towards him and Jade tells her she will take it and the girl smiles a thank you. “Lahey,” Jade says with a smile. “Can I get you a table?”

“For two,” he says, hands in his pockets. “Dad is just parking.”

“Okay,” Jade says and seats him. She makes a little small talk and then his father joins them and Jade gets a feeling, the feeling, the bad feeling Violet was talking about. She does not like him, not one bit, she can’t tell if it’s because of the bruise she can see starting to appear on Isaac or if it’s just because he has such an awful sense about him. He smiles at her, giving his order and she takes it and walks away quickly, feeling unsettled.

She overhears the two of them talking and she is trying not to listen but it’s so quiet tonight, she wonders why they bother having as much staff in when it’s this quiet and Mr. Lahey doesn’t care how loud he talks it seems. “Another girl you know,” he says. “Do you not make any effort or are you just lying to me?”

“I am not lying about anything,” Isaac says.

“What about the girl from the other day, come on give me something to work with,” he tries.

“Can we not talk about Violet, please,” Isaac tries.

“Can we talk about anything that doesn’t make me disappointed to be reminded I am here with you,” he says. Isaac just looks away and Jade fights the urge to spit in Mr. Lahey’s drink, just. She cannot risk her job but she does not like him one bit.

“Here you are,” Jade says, smiling at Isaac as she passes him his order. She puts Mr. Lahey’s order down with much more aggression and a clearly fake smile.

“Hey, sweetie,” Mr. Lahey says. Jade looks at him, deadpan.

“My name is Jade, and I would recommend you only refer to me as that, thank you,” Jade says.

“I was just being-,”

“Don’t,” Jade says simply, “just don’t. Thank you.”

Isaac apologizes to Jade after his father heads out to the car and Jade reassures him it isn’t on him, she doesn’t even care that Mr. Lahey did not tip, because if she didn’t need this job, she would’ve likely tipped the food onto him. “I’ll see you at school,” Isaac says.

“Oh, Isaac,” Jade pauses, “what are you doing Saturday?”

When Violet turns up a little while later, she can recognize the look on Jade’s face. “What have you done?” Violet asks.

“Never mind that,” Jade says. “I met Mr. Lahey.”

“I’m sorry,” Violet says.

“That man’s vibes are appalling, you were not kidding,” Jade says.

“Did you think I was?” Violet asks.

“Bring Isaac to mine, no one is ever home, study at my place, don’t, do not spend more time with that… man,” Jade says, “as long as you don’t have sex in the guest room that is fine by me.”

“Jade I am not having sex in any room,” Violet says. Jade nods.

“Sure, I believe you.”


	6. Only She Gets Away With That

“Last day of school before spring break,” Stiles says. Stiles looks tired, and no amount of Jade bringing him food and tea at the hospital can talk him into actually sleeping. He is trying to bury his worry about Lydia, but it is so clear on his face. Violet wishes the idea of spring break was a reassurance but she knows it just means he gets to spend more time in the hospital with her, and how that doesn’t help either of them. But Violet knows she will sit with him, do research, fill out her book, and keep him company.

“Yes, because we really know how to spring break,” Violet says.

“I mean Jade is planning something,” Stiles says before realizing what he said.

“What?” Violet asks.

“Nothing,” Stiles says. Violet grabs onto Stiles t-shirt.

“What does that mean?” Violet asks.

“Who did you invite?” Violet asks Jade who just looks up at her confused.

“What?” Jade asks.

“Tomorrow,” Violet says. Jade sighs.

“Was it Stiles?” Jade asks. “It was Stiles, wasn’t it?”

“It doesn’t matter that it was Stiles,” Violet says.

“So, it was Stiles,” Jade says, “I knew I shouldn’t have told him.”

“Jade,” Violet says, “who did you invite?”

“Just some friends,” Jade says, “it’s a bonfire, it seems like a spring break thing to do, and I thought with everything happening, with Lydia and Allison, that maybe we could do with a distraction, a friendly distraction, something, fun, light-hearted. Besides, I know you don’t like the beach that much but you love fire.”

“Don’t try that with me,” Violet says. “I feel you’re being sneaky.”

“What do you think I am doing?” Jade asks.

“You know what I think you’re doing,” Violet says. Jade just smiles, playing dumb.

“We take the van to the coast, we have a bonfire, I take some photos, it’ll be nice, don’t think about it too much,” Jade says, “now go, you do not want to be late to your last class.”

Jade does not turn up to Violet’s house until late afternoon Saturday. Stiles and Scott have already got back from the hospital, Scott going with Stiles to make sure he remembered to leave. Violet comes down the stairs in black bleached skinny jeans and a torn crop top with a plaid shirt over the top and the boys look at her, confused before she opens the door for Jade. “What?” Violet asks.

“I haven’t seen you dress down like that since you got back,” Scott says. “Are you going to wear converse too?”

“Now I am going to wear my lace up boots just to spite you, so thanks for that,” Violet says.

“She is beach edition Edge Lord,” Jade says.

“Yeah, I guess she is,” Stiles says. Violet throws him a look.

“No, only she gets away with that,” Violet warns him.

“How is that fair?” Stiles asks.

“No one said fair Stilinski,” Violet reminds him, picking up her rucksack. “Now get in the van.”

Stiles and Scott get in the back and Violet opens up the passenger side door for Jade but she doesn’t get in the front. “Jade?” Violet asks, staring at her.

“We have more stops to make,” Jade says. This is what Violet was concerned about.

“Where are we stopping?” Violet asks.

“Erica’s place,” Jade says, with a smile.

“Fine,” Violet says, pointing at her, “but I am watching you closely Jade Holland, closely.”

Erica also gets into the back of the van, though Violet puts that down to Stiles presence rather than any medaling on Jade’s part. “Ten pm,” Erica tells Violet.

“Wow, really?” Violet asks. Erica shrugs.

“She knows she has to let me out the house sometimes,” Erica says, tucking her rucksack under the side. She looks at Stiles and gives him a little smile, and completely unaware of the reason behind it, Stiles smiles back.

“Okay, I need you to head left, Stiles get ready for the snack run,” Jade tells him. Violet follows Jade’s instructions and when she parks up outside the shop Stiles and Jade get out and disappear for a few minutes.

“You feeling okay?” Violet asks Erica. Who nods softly, she has put her hair into a bun and she looks so cute and it makes Violet happy to see her so happy.

“I am feeling really good actually,” Erica says. “How is Lydia?”

“She is doing better than expected,” Violet says. Erica looks at Scott.

“Have you… heard from Allison, is she doing okay?” Erica asks. Scott shrugs.

“I haven’t really spoken to her,” Scott says, “I think she has only really been communicating with Jade, but from what I know, she is doing okay, everything considered.”

“I am sorry, that you two broke up,” Erica says. Violet wonders what exactly she is trying to do. “But I am sure you’ll both find people, you can love someone and not be right for them.”

“Thanks Erica,” Scott says looking out the window to see where Jade has gotten to. Jade opens the side door and hands the shopping to Scott before moving around to the passenger side door. She opens it but instead of getting in, Violet looks to see Jade instructing Isaac as to where to sit. She doesn’t get a chance to glare at Jade before Violet’s eyes meet his and she forgets why she was mad.

“Isaac,” Violet says, “I didn’t know you were coming.”

“I wasn’t entirely sure I was,” he admits. “This van yours?”

“Entirely,” Violet says.

“And I don’t even get a motorbike,” Scott says.

“Don’t be bitter because she has a van and I have the jeep,” Stiles says.

“I am not jealous of the jeep,” Scott says.

“Buy a bike,” Violet tells him pulling out of the carpark.

“It’s a lot easier to say when you get the money you get,” Scott points out. “Need I remind you I have a job.”

“Ask Deaton for a raise,” Violet laughs. Scott pulls a face but Violet can see it in the mirror. “Watch it Scotty, I will kick you out of this car and you can walk.” Isaac laughs a little and Violet tries to hide her smile.

“Scotty,” Erica says, “don’t you have some miracle inheritance you gave up because you wouldn’t go to England and obtain a cute accent?”

“No,” Violet laughs, “Scott’s got no one living with, or dying with I guess, some pathetic guilt that they couldn’t have been bothered to look after their family, so dropped them off.”

“Not exactly how mum tells it,” Scott says.

“Mum doesn’t really understand where the money comes from either,” Violet says. “Just I was written into a will, and I don’t care where it comes from, that’s all I want from them.”

“You’re not even curious?” Erica asks.

“Family isn’t blood,” Violet smiles at Jade in the mirror. “Family isn’t defined by that, they are my family just because they gave me the genes.”

“Still, I’d be curious,” Erica says.

“It’s what makes you different to Jackson, isn’t it?” Isaac asks. “That’s why he hates you so much, his own fragile insecurity.”

“Brownie points to the pretty boy,” Jade says.

“Pretty boy?” Stiles mouths.

“Violet’s words,” Jade mouths back.

“I am going to put some music on and if a single word of a complain comes from any of you,” Violet says, reaching for a CD. “I will kick you out this van.”


	7. Bonfire

They start setting up the bonfire right as the sun starts to set. Violet knows how to start the fire but Scott, for all his reasonings, is insisting on building it, and she just laughs and lets him, even when he does it badly and Stiles watches him, like he is in physical pain from wanting to correct him. Erica helps Jade get the blankets out of the van to sit on. Violet is stood on the grass, right before the sad starts. Isaac looks at her from the log they’ve building the fire by.

“You okay over there?” he asks, hands in his pockets, like he is afraid to talk to her.

“I don’t like sand,” Violet says.

“Star Wars reference,” Stiles yells.

“Just a fact,” Violet responds. “And a Star Wars reference.”

“Why’d you drive to the beach?” Isaac asks.

“Jade asked, and I like fire,” Violet says.

“Let’s do some arson and call it a date,” Jade says as she passes.

“You bring the matches,” Violet responds. Erica laughs at them both.

“I laid down a blanket, you can move now, coward,” Jade says. Violet is trying to look at the safest way to get across the sand, and is debating whether she can jump to the first blanket to walk around to the blanket that’s been set out for her without touching any sand.

“Here, you weirdo,” Stiles says standing between the blanket and her, so she can step on his shoes and onto the blanket. She sits on her blanket and smiles.

“Thanks Stilinski,” Violet says.

“Well, if I let you use my corpse to walk across the lava, worse things in life,” Stiles says.

“You never let me do that,” Scott pointed out.

“Your sister has always been tiny, I am fragile bone Scott,” Stiles says.

“They’re a little odd, but they’re basically family,” Erica says, her voice quiet, to Isaac. “Violet and Scott have known Stiles as long as they can remember and Stiles is like just another brother to Violet, if that’s where your head is at.” Isaac says nothing.

“Who brought a lighter?” Scott asks, looking at the pile of wood he has collected. Violet throws him one from her pocket and he looks at her.

“You never know Scotty,” Violet says.

“I am just going to not ask,” Scott says.

“Possibly the best choice you have made,” Violet says.

“Oh,” Erica says grabbing her bag from beside her. “I brought something.”

“You did?” Violet asks, leaning forward. “Pray tell, I am intrigued Erica darling.”

“Did I steal this from my mums collection? Maybe. Will she notice? I doubt it. Is it any good? I have no idea,” Erica admits pulling a bottle of wine from her bag.

“No way,” Violet laughs. Erica looks proud of herself and pulls out some collapsible glasses from her bag. “She came prepared.”

“I did,” Erica says, “though in hindsight,” she looks at the bottle, “it is a cork one.”

“No need to worry about that,” Jade says, looking at Violet.

“You carry a corkscrew too?” Scott asks.

“No,” Violet says, rolling her eyes, “I just have a neat trick. Pass me the bottle.”

“Remember that you are our lift,” Stiles says.

“I am not drinking, just opening,” Violet says, “besides I don’t drink wine.”

“What do you drink?” Erica asks.

“Tequila,” Isaac says without thinking. Violet laughs.

“Not intentionally,” Violet says. Scott raises an eyebrow, but Jade passes him something to distract him, and it works. Violet pulls the plastic seal off the top and then taps the wine bottle onto a part of the ground that is pretty solid, and then she flips the bottle and repeats, slowly the cork starts to work its way out the bottle. When it is about halfway through Violet pulls the cork out with her teeth and Jade, quick as ever, snaps the photo. “Really, Jade?” Violet asks, handing the now open bottle to Erica.

“Says Miss I film everything,” Jade jokes, snapping another photo of her glaring.

“It’s like a dairy, proof,” Violet says.

“Of what?” Erica asks. “Our boring teenage lives?”

“That we were here, alive, living our own lives, independent of everything else, I like proof we existed, a time will come when nothing matters and nothing is remembered, we are all,” Violet realizes midsentence how she sounds and stops.

“A moment in time,” Isaac says. Violet nods.

“And we pass by so fast in the grand scheme of the universe,” Violet says.

“I thought you weren’t drinking,” Stiles teases. Violet flips him off.

“Stilinski, it’s practically poetry, it’s why I have had more girlfriends than you,” Violet says.

“Isn’t hard, Scott has had more girlfriends that me,” Stiles says.

“Spoken like a bitter virgin,” Violet mutters under her breath.

Violet laughs, a lot at something Erica says about Mr. Harris because she agrees and Jade is there to take the photo and Violet swears at her and Jade laughs. Jade looks at her photos for a moment before continuing. “I am determined, Scott McCall to get a good photo of you,” Jade says, “if it kills me.”

“Maybe he just isn’t photogenic,” Violet laughs.

“Not everyone can be like you Violet,” Jade says.

“You only say that so I keep being in your pictures,” Violet says.

“You are my muse darling,” Jade says giggling.

“You know what, fuck you,” Violet says laughing again.

“Fuck me yourself, you coward,” Jade retorts. The others just look at the two of them, a little confused but amused.

“They are always like this,” Erica says, “always.”

Jade hands Erica another blanket, before she even needs to ask and Stiles drapes it over Erica’s shoulders, making her blush a little but he doesn’t notice. Violet shivers and reaches into her bag to see if she brought a jacket and she sees it, in the bottom of her bag, Isaac’s jersey. She pushes that back into her bag and just crosses her arms. “Hey, Jade, budge up, put the camera down,” Violet tells her, pulling the camera up on her phone. “Girl photo.” Erica leans better into the frame and Stiles tries to get in on the photo and Violet pushes him away by his face. “Girls only Stilinski.”

“Rude,” he says. Violet looks at the photo of the three of them, the fire reflecting in Erica’s eyes so much they look like they’re sparkling and the way Jade smiles, even though it’s Violet holding the camera and Violet’s photos are always blurry and madly framed, but they’re Violets and Violet loves the authenticity of that.

“Perfect,” Violet says setting it as her lock screen.

“Oh, I look like that,” Erica says putting her head in her hands but smiling.

“You’re gorgeous Erica,” Jade reminds her. Jade pulls out the camera again and snaps a photo of Scott while he is laughing, him and Stiles, holding collapsing refusable cups in the darkness of the beach, by the light of the fire. It isn’t perfect, but it is something.

Isaac is looking at Violet and she can feel it, but she is trying not to think about it. She doesn’t doubt he could like her, she just doesn’t think he should and she doesn’t care to find out if he does, the idea of it all plagues her mind enough most of the time, she doesn’t want to let it bother her now. “Are you cold?” he asks after a moment. She looks at him, and her dark eyes catch the fire light and her hair reflects the light, and she looks so different, so light, so hopeful and Isaac can’t help but forget what he was saying. Violet McCall, the girl who does not seem to have a fear in the world, who knows about comic books and can make awful small talk with his father, the girl who isn’t afraid to talk down to Jackson when he towers over her. Violet McCall, the girl he didn’t think could be more charming, more beautiful than that first moment in class when she looked at him and smiled and she doesn’t know he saw her but he did, how could he not? Sitting here, in the firelight, making him forget his words.

“I am okay,” Violet says.

“No, you’re shivering,” Isaac offers her his blanket and she tells him she is fine.

“Don’t worry about it,” Violet tells him, she looks down and then back at him to find him still looking at her, still that small smile threatening to break on his lips, like he could, for a moment, be content here, happy. Violet hears the shutter click and she looks at Jade who looks so very pleased with herself.

“That one is a keeper,” Jade says.

“I will get you, while you sleep, I know where you live,” Violet jokingly threatens.

“Try me tiny,” Jade says. She looks at Isaac. “Can you pass me the spare batteries, they’re in Violet’s rucksack.”

“Sure,” Isaac says. Before Violet registers why that might be a problem Isaac looks up from her bag and then hands Jade the batteries. Violet meets his eyes again and he passes her his jersey from her bag. “Don’t be cold,” he tells her.

“Thanks,” Violet says, blushing and slipping the jersey on. She can feel Scott looking at the two of them now. “Stare any longer Scotty and I’ll take out your eyeballs.”

Scott turns his eyes to Jade who is smiling at him, at his brotherly attitudes, at his loving concern, and is impressed with how well he has said, very little to actually bother Violet tonight. He is making an effort, and Jade can see it, even if Violet can’t, and it hurts because the more Scott tries, the more Jade sees how much of a good guy he is, and the more it hurts to like him so much. Because she does, like him, so much, and she doesn’t know what to do with it.

“So,” Jade says, “Stiles Stilinski, I have a scenario for you.”

Stiles eyes light up, leaning in closer to listen to her, to look at her, to pay her the attention she deserves for not only evoking such interest in his mildly buzzing brain, but for being the one to create the kind of loving, joyful environment he didn’t know he needed. He hasn’t thought about the hospital too much, not since the wine and the laughter, and that’s thanks to Jade and everything she does for all of them. Stiles sees it, her generosity, her care, her love and devotion. And he is glad to know her. “Go on, tell me.”


	8. Most My Life

Stiles has the hood of the jeep up, and he is trying to adjust something, Jade is watching, he is showing her, with what little knowledge he has, how to fix it up. He doesn’t quite understand why she is so interested, but he has seen how much she poured into the van, how much she fixes the little things, keeps it tidy, like it’s hers and in a lot of ways, it is. Violet bought it just as much for Jade as she did for her, and the more Stiles gets to know Jade, the more he understands that.

“You want to learn how to fix things Jade, read a book, Stiles has a habit of just, hoping for the best,” Violet says handing her a glass of lemonade before heading back in side.

“You know what, I resent that,” Stiles yells after her, wrench in hand. Stiles looks back to Jade who is watching very carefully. “Why do you want to know?”

“Same reason I fix all of Violet’s clothes, not because she isn’t capable but because practice is good, fixing up the van is good practice, even fixing up Violet, she got in a few fights in school,” Jade sighs, “she is a handful sometimes but I love her.”

“Why do you need practice?” Stiles asks, eyes on the jeep.

“So, when I am done, I can get the fuck out of dodge,” Jade says, “Violet calls it ‘marry rich, murder get out’ but she’s joking mostly. What she means is I don’t want to be stuck, not anywhere, not in England, not in Beacon Hills, forever. I want a van, not unlike hers, so she bought one that needed fixing up even though she could have bought one in perfect condition. She thinks I don’t know she did that for me, but I know. She always does that, just does stuff for me without thinking about it. I want my own van, I want to travel, I want to take pictures and travel and be free.”

“You’ve done a lot of moving around?” Stiles asks.

“Not like I want to,” Jade says, not meeting his eye, “I want to travel on my terms. I want to see the world, not just… move around it.”

“There’s a lot of world out there,” Stiles says.

“I want to see it,” Jade says.

“Brave intentions,” Stiles says, “just going.”

“I’ve been independent most my life Stiles, I don’t think it would be much different.”

“Have you got your license?”

“Stiles I don’t have money for a car,” Jade says, “why do you think I’m working?”

“And your parents-,”

“Let’s not,” Violet says bringing the glass of lemonade out for Stiles. He takes it with one hand.

“Did you make this?” Stiles asks.

“I am going mildly insane,” Violet smiles, “so lemonade.”

“She makes it when she is restless,” Jade says. “It’s good though.”

“Thank you,” Violet smiles. “Oh, and Stiles.”

“Yeah?” Stiles asks. Violet gestures to some pieces on the floor.

“Are those important?”

“Shit.”

Stiles reaches over Violet to get to one of the DVDs and Violet glares at him. “My choice Stilinski,” she reminds him.

“If you are trying to keep me out of the hospital,” Stiles says, “let me choose.”

“It’s less me, and more that you’ve been lightly threatened by the staff that if you keep crowding the hallway all hours of the day, they will remove you from visitation,” Violet points out. “We are going to visit her tomorrow, but I get to pick the movie.”

“Please don’t let her pick,” Scott says. Violet glares at him.

“Need I remind you,” Violet says, getting up for a coffee, “Jade is at work, so no one can tell me to refrain.”

“From what?” Scott asks. Violet punches him in the upper arm. “Ouch.”

“Boo-hoo wolf,” Violet says, “suck it up.”

“Just because I heal doesn’t mean that doesn’t hurt.”

Violet makes herself as scarce as possible for a while, not avoiding Scott exactly but also knowing herself and knowing she might, accidentally, pick a fight. While Stiles can’t stop thinking about the conversation he had with Jade. “So, Jade,” Stiles says slowly.

“Yeah, tomorrow,” Scott says.

“What?” Stiles asks.

“I can’t hang out tomorrow because I am with Jade, movie day, that is what you were asking, right?” Scott asks.

“Yeah,” Stiles says, a lie. “I’m helping my dad tomorrow, anyway, remember I told you.”

“I forgot,” Scott admits. “Then why were you asking me?”

“I was worried you were going to be bored,” Stiles says.

“Jade keeps me company, I feel like I must drive her crazy, but she just doesn’t seem to mind,” Scott says.

“Jade is worried about you,” Violet says, “with everything that she doesn’t know, she thinks the only things we can focus on are breakups and Lydia, she doesn’t know there are more things at play. So, she is worried about your heartbreak, because she is a good person.”

“You think I haven’t noticed that?” Scott asks.

“You’d have to be both dumb and blind,” Stiles says.

“Oh, he is only one of those,” Violet says handing Scott the popcorn. Scott then throws a handful at her. “Oh yeah, act like a child because you can’t argue like an adult.”

Violet sees Stiles pulls away and she knows it’ll be a little while before Melissa gets home, so she does what she has been avoiding, and she goes to talk to Scott. He is sat at his chair when she knocks and he is surprised that she knocks because the door is open and she rarely knocks. “Can we talk?” Violet asks. He sits up straighter.

“Sure, what do you want to talk about?” he asks.

“You,” Violet says, she sees the phone in his hand. “Are you expecting a call? A text?” He looks at his phone and places it on the table. “Allison?”

“It’s… complicated,” Scott says. She can see something in his face but she isn’t sure what it is, guilt? Regret? Something else? She isn’t sure.

“Isn’t it just?” Violet sighs sitting on his bed. “I don’t want to fight anymore, it’s tiring, I prefer it when we get along.”

“Me too,” he says smiling softly. “Besides Jade doesn’t like us bickering.” Violet chuckles.

“Jade doesn’t like conflict,” Violet says, “she isn’t afraid of it, but she prefers to avoid it.”

“What did you want, exactly, Vee?” Scott asks.

“I want you to show me,” Violet says. He looks puzzled. “Your eyes, your claws, I want… to understand, properly.”

“Oh,” he says, nodding. “I think I can do that.”

“I am sure you can,” Violet says. Scott holds out his hand in the dim light of the room, the lamp and the hallway light being the only lights on. He uncurls his fingers from his palm and in the quick movement the claws come out and a breath catches in Violet’s throat. Scott thinks he has alarmed her for a moment, but then he sees the smile on her face, eye wideness of her eyes. She isn’t scared, just surprised, impressed even. She reaches out and taps one of the claws. “They are sharp.”

“They are,” Scott says, retracting them.

“I have a lot still to learn Scotty,” Violet says quietly.

“We both do,” he says meeting her eyes. His flicker into the eyes of a wolf, showing her what Stiles told her about, clearly, not a glimpse, just as they are. Scott watches as something changes in Violet’s eyes, a flicker, like they are reflecting something of him in them. Violet’s eyes have always been so dark, that they do that, reflect light, reflect change.

“Pretty,” Violet says, “did you get to pick the colour?” She is joking, of course, but she knows that different people do have different colours. She remembers Stiles telling her Derek’s eyes are blue and Peter’s were red.

“No,” Scott jokes, “it’s because I am a beta. Alphas are red.”

“Why are Derek’s blue?”

“Never thought to ask.”


	9. Violet's Brother

Jade is flitting around the house in a frantic sort of buzz. Her mother is still home, prepping all the things she needs to have ready for her meeting at work and it is putting Jade on edge. Jade knew she was going to be here, she just didn’t know she would definitely still be here when Scott was going to arrive, and she can hear Scott knocking on the door. Jean moves to answer it but Jade waves a hand to let her know there isn’t a need to, and Jean who is still on the phone, nods and walks back towards the dining room table.

“Hey,” Jade says, opening the door. “Come on in.”

Scott helps her carry all the blankets and cushions from the cupboard in the spare room to where they will be setting up for the movies. Jean barely even notices them moving around her as she focuses on what she is doing. On the third trip to the spare room, Scott pauses. “Can I ask you something Jade?” he asks.

“Of course,” Jade says with a smile.

“Why do you even have this, from what you say, no one is here in this house enough to need a guest room?” Scott asks. Jade shrugs.

“My parents like the idea of having guests I guess, even if they never happen,” Jade says, “honestly I think it’s just habit, we have had a spare room in every house we have ever lived in, no one ever uses it, and it just sits like this, empty, not even used as storage space most the time, like it just, doesn’t exist unless someone is looking at it. It’s just another empty room that no one wants to be in.”

“Is that why you don’t like being here?” Scott asks.

“I don’t like being by myself,” Jade says, “that,” she taps his nose, “is why you are here.”

“Why didn’t you invite Violet?” Scott laughs, picking up the last of the pillows. There is the real reason, there are some true reasons, and there are some that she tells Scott, which aren’t lies, just also aren’t the whole truth.

“Well, Violet talks far too much during movies, for one,” Jade says. Scott nods in agreement. “And you, Scott McCall have not watched Star Wars and I honestly believe Stiles might lose his mind if you don’t, so I am here, to correct that.”

“You’re doing me the favour,” Scott laughs. “If I watched them with Stiles, he would just watch me the whole time, trying to see how I react, like…”

“Like Violet does,” Jade says with a smile, “well Stiles is helping his dad, Violet is busy and we are watching Star Wars.” Scott watches her as they move back through the dining room, the way she side glances at Jean, who is still on the phone somehow, nodding as she takes notes.

“Is there another reason?” Scott asks. He means nothing really by it, but he can hear the way Jade’s heart quickens at the question, and he worries he has upset her in some way. He thinks it’s about her family. She thinks about something else.

Jade waits until Jean moves into another room before she answers. “When my mum is home, I don’t like risking having Violet over,” Jade says, “it never ends… well.”

“Why not?” Scott asks, a little concerned.

“If you had a conversation with my mother, you’d know,” Jade says, moving her hair out of her face with a sigh. “Anyway, enough of that. Do you want pizza or Chinese?”

“Pizza, definitely pizza,” Scott says. Jade snaps her fingers at him and smiles, then immediately regrets that but doesn’t let it show on her face.

“You got it,” Jade says, starting to set up the movie wall.

“As cool as this wall is,” Scott says, “if you didn’t want to be here, why didn’t we just, watch these at my place?”

“I need to be here, there is going to be a delivery and dad isn’t home and mum is leaving soon,” Jade says, “I am required for signing for parcels.”

“How adult of you,” Scott says. Jean walks in, papers in hand, but no longer on the phone.

“Jade,” she says, looking through her purse. “Have you seen my… never mind, I found it.” She looks up at the two of them. “Oh, new friend?” Jade manages a smile.

“This is Violet’s brother, I have mentioned him, and I did tell you he was coming,” Jade says.

“Right, right, Stiles is it?” Jean asks, not really looking at him.

“Scott, mum, it’s Scott,” Jade says.

“Nice to meet you Mrs. Holland,” Scott says, offering his hand but she doesn’t acknowledge him.

“I believe I met your mother,” Jean mumbles.

“You did,” Jade says through gritted teeth, “at the parents evening.”

“I did,” Jean nods. “No… Li-,”

“Violet,” Jade corrects her before she can even get it wrong.

“It’s a colour and a flower, I’ll get it eventually,” Jean says picking up the rest of her stuff.

“It’s only been three years,” Jade sighs.

“Anyway, have fun, there is food money on the side, and don’t forget we have some deliveries later, I have to run I am going to be late” Jean says. Jade nods and Jean leaves, no real goodbye, none of the fussing and the insistence that Melissa always puts Scott and Violet through, and with the absence of that, Scott understands entirely what Violet means about Jade’s mother. She does not care that she makes it seem like she does not care. He also understands why Jade doesn’t like having Violet around her, it must make her feel awful, that even Violet with all that she is and how much she means to Jade, isn’t something Jade’s own mother can remember anything about. Scott understands just how awful Jean must make Jade feel, and is not surprised at all why Jade spends all the time she can, at his place.

With Jean gone, even though she was relatively quiet and still, even though she didn’t seem to be much company at the time, the house seems so much more empty, so much quieter, so much bigger. All the hallways seem colder and even less like a home. It feels like walking around a strangers house, an open house, it doesn’t feel like people live here, even something about the way the photos sit around the walls and on the shelves, seem so strange. This house feels almost haunted by the absence of people, and Scott can hear it in Jade’s heartbeat, the way she walks quicker from room to room as she gets snacks and drinks, the way she doesn’t pause in doorways, the way her heart goes faster and faster the longer she is alone in an empty room. She seems almost scared of this place by itself. “Want me to help you in there?” Scott asks. His voice calming her nerves and he can hear it.

“No, that’s alright, I am nearly done,” Jade says coming through. He can’t help but look at her, the way she smiles like it isn’t a problem, the brave face, the determination. The way she is doing this for him. He doesn’t exactly understand what he has done to deserve that, but he is thankful for her all the same.

“You don’t like being in this house alone, do you?” Scott asks.

“Have you watched as many horror films as Violet has made me watch?” Jade says trying to brush it off as a joke. “I don’t have a death wish.” Her hands are shaking a little when she hands him a drink.

“You sure you’re okay?” he asks, eyes on her trembling hands. She knows it’s the house, but there is also some nervousness in there, she gets that way, alone with Scott, especially lately, especially the more time she spends with him, the more she can’t ignore how much she likes him. There is a guilt in that, and a fear, but also a lack of it, he makes her feel calmer, he makes her feel safe and he makes her smile and she doesn’t hate that feeling at all.

“I’m just cold,” Jade lies, and Scott can hear it, the lie, in her breath and in her heart rate, pulling a big blanket from the pile up and over her shoulders, “I am always cold.” Scott doesn’t understand why she doesn’t feel she can be honest but he also doesn’t want to push her, so he just moves closer to her, and helps put another blanket over her. She smiles at him and he smiles back. “Probably a lack of caffeine,” Jade continues, “I am practically dependent.”

“I think the word is addicted,” Scott jokes.

“Dependent,” Jade insists reaching for the first DVD.

“Want me to make you a cup of tea?” Scott asks. Jade, although finding the offer sweet, shakes her head. “I am getting better.”

“I know,” Jade says, blushing a little as she smiles, “I know.”

Scott gets up to get the door for the pizza delivery and Jade swaps the disks over for the next film. “Are you getting the appeal yet?” Jade asks. Scott brings the pizza boxes to the floor and looks at her, in that confused trying to pull it off but barely hiding it kind of way. “These films are one of the most important things to your best friend and you just, don’t get it, do you?”

“We will see after the next one,” Scott says, reaching for a pizza slice.

“Maybe you just aren’t a prequals guy,” Jade says.

“So, are these the ones that were made before or after?” Scott asks. Jade sighs.

“You have so much to learn golden boy, so much to learn.”

Jade falls asleep about halfway through the fourth film, and Scott just lets her sleep. At some point she moves and in the cat-like manor Jade is known for, curls into Scott as she sleeps, head on his lap, soft and calm. Scott plays gently with her hair as he watches the film. “I don’t know how you expect me to like these if you can’t even stay awake,” Scott whispers to Jade but more to himself. He is glad really, that she feels safe enough, calm enough to fall asleep right now. He knows how that is a rare thing for her in this house. How alone she must feel here, it worries him.

Just before the last act Jade wakes up to find Scott watching the film, while absent mindedly playing with her hair. She shifts slightly, turning her head to look up at him. “Sorry,” he says, “did I wake you?”

“No, it’s okay,” Jade can’t help herself in her sleepy happiness she giggles a little, a soft laugh filled with so much happiness she doesn’t know what to do with it. As the sleep starts to recede back, she realizes that she shouldn’t be laying in his lap, that she shouldn’t be thinking all the things she is. She should not want to kiss him this badly. It almost hurts to like him this much, she feels it in her chest and in her stomach like an ache. “Sorry, I’ll move,” Jade says.

“No, honestly, don’t worry about it,” Scott says, “you’re actually kind of comfortable,” Jade’s heart flutters and he hears it, he tries not to let it show on his face but it puzzles him. He has heard a heart flutter before but only once or twice, barely enough to recognize it, and not from Jade, not because of him. “I am just glad you feel comfortable enough to fall asleep on me.”

“Scott, you’re practically home to me,” Jade says without thinking, but he smiles and she doesn’t hold her breath for too long. 

Scott’s phone rings and he doesn’t move to answer it, he lets it ring out, he doesn’t see anything that could be really important enough to distract him from here and now, this moment, whatever exactly this moment is, he isn’t sure, but he doesn’t really want to leave it. In this moment he isn’t thinking about the dangers of Beacon Hills or his breakup or anything that has gone wrong in the last few weeks, he is just thinking of Jade and how happy he is to be here, with her, right now.

Jade’s phone buzzes shortly after, and she sees it’s Violet, so she pulls herself away from Scott and answers. “Hey, what can I do for you shorty?” Jade asks.

“I tried to call Scott but he didn’t pick up,” Violet says.

“Sorry, must have missed it,” Jade says, wincing at herself for the wording.

“I just thought you’d both like to know that Stiles and I, we are at the hospital, Lydia is awake and talkative.”


	10. I've Noticed

When Jade and Scott arrive, Violet is sat on the bottom of Lydia’s hospital bed and Stiles is stood next to the chair, talking continuously. Violet is smiling and Jade isn’t even sure she knows she is, Violet had told Jade a little about Lydia before they came to Beacon Hills and Jade is sure, in all Violet’s imaginings of coming home, caring about what happened to Lydia, hadn’t even crossed her mind. And yet here she sits, at the edge of the bed, smiling that she is finally well enough to talk.

“Please, say you brought coffee,” Violet says, looking to Jade. Scott pulls a holder of Starbucks from behind his back and Violet jumps off the bed.

“I didn’t know what you wanted, so I got what Jade says were you three regular orders,” Scott says, passing her the holders. Violet looks at him.

“Wait, they’re all for me?” Violet asks.

“I finished mine on the way in,” Jade says.

“Stiles does not need coffee,” Scott says. Violet just hugs him, and if it wasn’t Scott, she probably would’ve knocked him back with the force of the hug but with his reflexes and his tendency to know Violet’s force on things, he barely budges as she hugs him. “You okay there?”

“I have coffee,” Violet says moving for the white mocha first and returning to the bottom of the bed. 

“How are you feeling?” Jade asks Lydia. Lydia shrugs it off.

“Annoyed,” Lydia says, “mostly.”

“Do you remember what happened?” Scott asks. Violet punches him lightly in the arm.

“Leave her be,” Violet tells him. Lydia shakes her head, still a little dazed.

“I don’t really remember much, I remember the dance and then I remember bits of waking up here and now I am here and he hasn’t stopped talking,” Lydia says gesturing to Stiles.

“Sorry,” Stiles is quick to apologize.

“He hasn’t slept properly, it isn’t his fault,” Jade says.

Jade sits in the chair with Lydia and at Lydia’s speed they talk, she asks about Allison and Jade explains everything. Scott and Violet talk to doctors and nurses and make sure Lydia has everything she needs. Lydia complains that she missed the last week of school and Jade reassures her that she does not need to worry about it. Lydia also complains about missing spring break being in a hospital bed and all of them have less of an argument for that.

Jade sends Allison a text and for the first time Scott doesn’t ask about it, not if Allison had mentioned him, because he doesn’t feel the need. He still doesn’t understand really why Allison did what she did, but he can accept it, if it is really what she wants. He won her back once already and maybe it just wasn’t supposed to be.

“Tell me someone has something interesting to say,” Lydia says, “something I missed?”

“Jade got a job,” Violet says.

“Why?” Lydia asks, practically sitting up in protest. Jade laughs.

“I need one,” Jade says.

“I thought Violet said you had a spare room in that big empty house of yours,” Lydia says.

“I do, what is your point?” Jade asks. Lydia shrugs.

“Rent it out to horny teens, no need for a job,” Lydia says.

“Entrepreneurial genius,” Violet says.

“No,” Jade says firmly, “I am not doing that.”

“It would make good cash,” Violet points out.

“Rich kids of Beacon Hills would pay quite a bit,” Lydia says.

“I am not turning my spare room into a teen sex spot, not happening,” Jade says, “I don’t even want Violet having sex in there.”

“Violet’s not having sex in there,” Violet points out. Scott looks at her. “Or anywhere.” After he looks away Violet smiles a little to herself. “Currently.”

“I heard that,” Scott says.

“Don’t be a hypocrite,” Violet says.

“You’re my sister,” Scott points out.

“And you’re my brother, you don’t see me telling you what to do with your hormones,” Violet says.

“Scott,” Lydia says gently, “don’t fight with her.”

“You’re sorely outnumber Scotty,” Violet points out.

“I’ve noticed.”

Allison calls to talk to Lydia and Violet and Scott take a walk to see if they can bring something to Melissa, even if it’s just a coffee. Violet at this point is on her second, an iced coffee, and is not even fidgety. “Do I want to know how much coffee you drank at school?” Scott asks. Violet shakes her head.

“No, and neither does my doctor.”

“Violet,” Scott says, stopping in his steps. She doesn’t stop walking at first, it takes her half the corridor to realise he isn’t beside her and when she turns around, even at this distance, she can see he looks concerned.

“What?” Violet asks. He approaches her slowly, unsure of how to ask.

“Does it bother you, that I am spending all this time with Jade?” Scott asks. Violet laughs, a little too loud, a little too much.

“No,” Violet says. She can’t exactly say what she thinks about it, because that would give Jade away and unlike Jade, that isn’t Violet’s move. The more she looks at him the more she realizes the core of the question. “Scott we aren’t seven anymore, I don’t… we don’t have to be concerned with the same things we were then.”

“Did I really screw things up for you, with Stiles?” Scott asks.

_Violet reaches for another letter in scrabble, Stiles is staring, so full of energy and not wanting to sit still but trying to do this, for Violet because she wants to do it. She wants to prove she can beat him and he knows she probably can. It’s before her father leaves, before Stiles loses his mum, and they are sat on the kitchen floor playing games together. Scott is glaring at them, he doesn’t mean to be, but he is jealous. Violet is a threat to his and Stiles friendship, even if she doesn’t mean to be._

“I never, understood what your problem was with me and Stiles, Scott, but I’m not like that,” Violet says, “I wasn’t then and I am not now.”

“I was worried that I would lose something, if you two got too close,” Scott admits. “He is my best friend, and you’re my sister.”

“And what, you thought I could replace you?” Violet asks.

“I thought you would both leave me behind,” Scott says, “especially if either of you-,”

“Stiles and I, we never would have worked, even without you telling us that we weren’t allowed to have feelings for each other, I don’t think we ever would have, I never saw him like that, he was just another brother, someone else to talk to,” Violet sighs, “I am really glad you’re spending more time with Jade, Scott. Because I want her to have more friends, I want her to feel like she belongs here, because she is the most important person to me and I want to share that, all she is to me, with the people who matter the most. Like you. Hell, date her if you want to, she is my best friend Scott, of course I want the two of you to have a good relationship, because she isn’t going anywhere, and I don’t want her to feel like Beacon Hills isn’t her home now. Because I know what it felt like turning up to England, feeling lost and alone, and Jade only had herself to offer to me but she was always enough, but I have you, and Stiles and a home here that I want her to be a part of. So no, it doesn’t bother me, it makes me very happy, because I want Jade to be happy.” She is hoping she talked enough and said enough that he didn’t pay much attention to the comment she accidentally made in the middle. Not her finest but Scott is Scott and a lot tends to go over his head, which Violet has often found convenient throughout her life.

“I want Jade to feel at home too,” Scott says, “Jade is…”

“Jade is?” Violet asks.

“Not someone I expected for you,” Scott says, “but I am glad she is who she is, I think she is exactly what you needed. And maybe what we all did.”

“Tell her that, it will make her smile,” Violet says.

“I don’t like her house,” Scott says, finally standing next to her as she starts to continue the walk to the second floor to find Melissa.

“No, that house is… weird,” Violet agrees. “But it’s now awful if you fill it with enough conversation, I just hate her being there by herself. I try to avoid letting that happen at all cost.”

“I also met Jean,” Scott says. Violet pulls a face as she sucks air in tightly.

“How was that?” Violet asks.

“She thought I was Stiles,” Scott says.

“Yeah, get used to that,” Violet says. After a moment of silence Scott says something that makes Violet have to try and keep a straight face.

“Also, I don’t think I am exactly Jade’s type,” Scott says.

“Okay, Scotty,” Violet says.

“What kind of response is that?”

“A neutral one,” Violet says as she catches sight of Melissa. “Mum, how are you doing?”


	11. For The Best

“Do I even want to ask?” Violet asks as Jade is, somewhat angrily, making a cup of tea.

“It’s nothing really,” Jade says reaching for the milk.

“It doesn’t seem to be nothing,” Violet says. “Is it that Allison is back today and you’re worrying over everything?”

“No,” Jade says giving Violet a look.

“Is it that your wage sucks and Beacon Hills customers are awful tippers?” Stiles asks from the other room. Jade puts her mug down a little harder than needed on the side.

“I don’t understand how I have worked this many hours and then with tax, I am left with this little money,” Jade sighs. “And you two won’t even let me contribute to the fuel costs of you both driving me places.”

“Not a chance,” Violet says.

“Won’t allow it,” Stiles chips in.

“Living is expensive and it sucks,” Jade says.

“Living sucks or being expensive sucks?” Violet teases.

“Don’t,” Jade warns her, spoon pointed in her general direction. “Just, don’t.”

The first place Allison goes when her car arrives back at her house, is straight out again and to the hospital. Stiles is in the hall, with balloons, like that might cheer Lydia’s spirits, that spring break is all but over and still, she is in that hospital bed. “How is she?” Allison asks.

“Hi, Allison, nice to see you too, I hope you had a nice vacation,” Stiles says.

“How is Lydia?” Allison asks. Stiles, realizing Allison probably isn’t in the mood for his specific brand of humour, just goes along.

“She is doing great, better than expected, no symptoms if that’s what you mean?” Stiles asks.

“I just meant in general, Jade has been keeping me updated, but being away while your best friend is in hospital, that sucks,” Allison says looking through the glass panel in the door. “Are we allowed in?”

“Not right now,” Stiles says, “but in like thirty minutes.”

Allison sits in the chair next to Stiles and looks at the balloons. “You’ve been keeping her company?” Allison asks.

“Mostly we aren’t allowed in, and she has been barely awake for most of it, doctors have her really subdued because, it’s Lydia and she is constantly insisting she is well enough to go home,” Stiles says.

“She probably just wants a decent bath and to wear something that isn’t hospital clothes,” Allison says.

“They tell her not to do her makeup, so Violet had to sneak it in,” Stiles tells her.

“I would not have liked to have been the doctor telling her that,” Allison says.

“It wasn’t a fun sight,” Stiles admits. Allison looks at him, and wonders how hard it must have been on him, all this time, seeing Lydia, like that. She knows how much Stiles cares about Lydia, even if Lydia doesn’t notice, Allison does. Allison notices things like that, it has always been her gift, and her curse.

“Are you doing okay?” Allison asks.

“I’m fine, how are you though, with your aunt and everything?” Stiles asks.

“Funeral is in a few days, all the family are coming, it’s going to be this big thing, and dad seemed to think going away for two weeks would stop the morbid curiosity but it hasn’t, when you have someone like that in a place like this… people hold onto that,” Allison says. “So, how has Scott been?”

Stiles knows she has been trying to not ask that, so he doesn’t comment on her asking and just tells her. “He has been working through it, he doesn’t understand why you broke his heart, but I do, and as much as I hate seeing you both sad, I think you did the right thing, you both can be friends but dating, with your parents and him like he is… you both didn’t stand a chance,” Stiles says. Allison nods.

“No matter how much I wanted to, or how much I wanted to believe we did, the time I had away, I see it, I see how bad an idea it is and as much as it hurts, it’s for the best,” Allison says.

“So, moving on as fast as possible seems to be your best course of action, do you think it’ll be Lydia’s?” Stiles asks.

“Why, she and Jackson haven’t fixed it?” Allison asks. “I mean, he is a jackass, but I figured they breakup all the time.”

“He hasn’t visited her, not once,” Stiles says.

“He hasn’t what?”

“Allison is at the hospital with Lydia,” Violet says checking her texts. “Did you want to go?”

“I’ll get my jacket,” Jade says. Violet looks at Scott who is eating cereal out of the box.

“You coming too?” Violet asks. He thinks about it for a moment and then shakes his head.

“I probably shouldn’t,” Scott says. “She probably needs her space.”

“How oddly mature of you,” Violet says. “Can I get you anything while I am gone?”

“A new girlfriend?” Scott jokes.

“Sorry bud,” Violet says, “I think you are clean out of luck in that department.”

Jade shoves her as soon as the door shuts behind them. “Violet,” Jade says, “be nice to him, he is hurting.”

“He is moving on with his life, we’re sixteen, they were dating like two weeks, and they’ve been broken up that long, and twice broken up may I add,” Violet says. “I have sympathy but he is my brother, I shall mock him as I please. Besides, what did you want me to say, no we have a new girlfriend for you at home?” Jade shoves her again.

“Just drive,” Jade says.

Jade goes straight in to talk to Allison and Lydia, but Violet hangs around outside, she hasn’t spoken to Allison since she left, and considering the last things she said to her, she isn’t sure she is very liked right now. So, she hovers in the hallway, looking down and around at how empty it seems to be in the hospital this evening. She spots Stiles trying to fight with a vending machine for some Reese’s and she rolls her eyes and laughs until he pulls the whole thing over.

“Shit,” Violet says, rushing to help him put it back up. “You know Stilinski, there are such things as code overrides.”

“Well next time teach me how to hack a vending machine, but right now, help,” Stiles says as they try to pick it up. “Your brother might actually be of some use around about now.”

After a few minutes of failing miserably to lift the machine more than an inch off the ground Violet drops it, and stops trying. “Ignorance is bliss, want to go get a hot chocolate?” Violet asks.

“Are you avoiding Allison?” he asks.

“Are you avoiding getting kicked out of the hospital,” she kicks the broken vending machine.

“Touché,” Stiles admits and walks away with her.

They both are sat drinking when Jade and Allison walk in, Violet tries to not look up, but Jade, not knowing any better, seats Allison next to her at the table. “Doctors kick you out?” Stiles asks.

“Lydia had to go for a shower,” Jade says. “Where did you two run off to anyway?”

“Stiles needed a snack,” Violet says.

“Isn’t there a vending machine around the corner?” Allison asks.

“Nope,” both Violet and Stiles say a little too quickly.

“Why didn’t you just ask me?” Jade asks, reaching around in her bag.

“I also brought snacks, he is just fussy,” Violet says.

“Reese’s” Jade offers him. Violet tries to hide the smirk. Stiles looks at her, like the way she knew, the way she just knew, it lights him up inside.

“Perfect,” he says.

“I’m glad,” Jade smiles, handing him the chocolate. Allison is trying to get Violet to look at her, but Violet doesn’t want to, she is scared to.

“Violet, can we have a quick talk?” Allison asks. Violet can’t ignore that so she nods, arms tucked close to her sides, trying to make herself even smaller. Allison gets up and Violet follows, slow and reluctant and trying to think of all the things Allison could have to say to her.

“Allison, I just, I think I should-,” Allison hugs her, tightly.

“I’m sorry,” Allison says.

“You’re sorry?” Violet asks, confused.

“I shoudnt have disregarded you the way I did, I know I must have made you feel awful, and you already felt awful asking, and I know you like me and it wasn’t personal and you were just trying to look after us both. I know that if anything happened to Scott because of me, I would die, it would eat me up until there was nothing left and I want him to be happy but I know that he can’t be happy and safe and with me, and it hurts like hell, but I know that now, and I know I did the right thing, and I know that’s thanks to you, and I am sorry I didn’t call or text, I just, I wanted to talk in person,” Allison says, she tucks some hair behind her ear, “I was angry about my aunt, she was like a sister to me and I couldn’t believe she had done all she had. She was like my favourite person in the world, and then you asking me, the timing, I was so angry and so hurt and so sad, because I know she did awful things but I loved her and she is gone and it hurts. And I shouldn’t have let you think I was angry at you, because you were being a good friend. Because a good friend tells us stuff even when we don’t want to hear it, even when it hurts, even when they know we will hate them for it. So, I’m sorry, can you forgive me?”

“Are you kidding me Allison?” Violet pulls her back into another hug. “I was so worried you were going to hate me.”

“I couldn’t hate you,” Allison laughs. “It would really limit my friendship group.”


	12. Lydia, It Was Lydia

“So, the Argents are back in town,” Melissa says looking at Allison. Violet nods passing her mother a coffee.

“She got back a few hours ago,” Violet says.

“Poor kid, she has gone through a lot,” Melissa says, “shame about her and Scott.”

“Wasn’t meant to be,” Violet says.

“He really liked her,” Melissa says.

“He will find love again,” Violet says. Melissa looks at her, and tugs at her arm, gesturing for her to move closer.

“Why are you so down on love Violet?” Melissa asks. “Love is great, first love, true love-,”

“False love,” Violet says, “I am just aware, that is all, that not all relationships are built to last. We can’t hinder our lives too much by holding out for them.”

“You will feel differently, when love hits you like a tonne of bricks,” Melissa says.

“I’ve loved before mum,” Violet says.

“No, not like that,” Melissa says, “or I don’t think you’d feel that way. How would you feel if it was Jade?”

“What?” Violet asks, nearly choking.

“If it was you and Jade,” Melissa says, “friendships are as important as romantic relationships after all.”

“Couldn’t happen to me and Jade,” Violet says.

“See,” Melissa says, “don’t you think anyone who has ever loved, thinks that.”

“Jade and I, we aren’t like Scott and Allison,” Violet says.

“No, you’re not, that’s true, but don’t be so quick to dismiss love like you do for your brother,” Melissa says, “that was first love and that hurts. You’ll know.”

“I’ve loved,” Violet says again.

“You’ll change your mind about that, when you know,” Melissa says.

“Please, I don’t believe romantic love can really compare,” Violet says.

“It’s very different,” Melissa says, “but it doesn’t mean it’s worth less.”

“Look, I just,” Violet sighs, “I didn’t think I’d have to reason with you, my mother, about why I don’t put too much into teenage relationships.”

“You are so grown up and sometimes that worries me,” Melissa says, “you’re allowed to believe in love, some marry their childhood sweethearts.”

“And some divorce them,” Violet says.

“You barely even sound like a child of mine when you say things like that,” Melissa laughs.

“I’m glad you still believe in the power of first love, mum, but I just, don’t really think I am looking to fall in love at sixteen,” Violet says. “I have a life ahead of me-,”

“If you say love can wait, I may have to ground you for the sheer insult,” Melissa warns her.

“I’ll respond to that when I find something witty to say,” Violet says. Lydia’s scream pierces through the walls.

“What the hell was that?” Melissa asks. Violet watches as Stiles rushes for the door.

“Lydia, it was Lydia,” Violet says following him.

Lydia goes missing from the hospital shower in the woods. 

“She was in the shower, and then we heard her scream and now she is gone,” Melissa explains to Stiles’ father.

“She left here, naked, like nude?” he asks again.

“As far as we know,” Melissa continues to explain.

“Do you just call him Sheriff because you feel weird calling him Noah, or because Mr. Stilinski also sounds weird?” Allison asks Violet, she is trying not to stress out but she knows her dad will have heard by now, he has access to police radio. And her family are not convinced Lydia isn’t turning.

“It’s a conscious choice,” Violet explains, “helps me not call him dad. I have done that a lot.”

“There was nothing suspicious about it,” Melissa says.

“APB out on a sixteen-year-old red-head, any other descriptors?” Noah asks.

“She’s five-three, with green eyes, fair-skinned and her hair is actually strawberry blonde,” Stiles starts to rattle off the information like he has it memorized, because he does.

“Where would she have gone?” Jade asks, she is visibly worried and she is the only one out of the group of them who has no remote idea of what is going on.

“She has been complaining about being cooped up in here, for days, she might have just… tried to go home,” Violet says. She doesn’t consider that a lie because as far as they know, she might have. What Lydia has done sneaking out, seems odd but there is no weird reason they can think of for it either.

“Is that right?” Noah asks.

“Yeah,” Stiles says. His dad places a hand on his neck and guides him away from Melissa and the others.

“Come here,” he says, “what the hell are you still doing here?”

“Providing moral support?” Stiles tries.

“How about you provide your ass back home?” Noah tries. Violet, unable to watch it anymore, walks over.

“I’ve got him,” she says with a smile. “He is just worried, we all are.” Noah looks at her, and he still sees the same little girl who included him and Stiles in all her family drawings, because knowing she was adopted from a young age gave her a very clear view on what the world ‘family’ really meant.

“Okay,” he nods, “take him home, or back with you, just keep him out of trouble?”

“It’s what I do best.”

Violet precedes to let Stiles leave with Scott in the jeep to go look for Lydia. “I’m coming too,” Allison says, climbing in the back.

“Come back to mine,” Violet tells Jade, gesturing for her to get in the van. “I just want one word with Stiles first.” Jade gets in and Violet rushes over to the jeep. “What is going on?”

“Your brother is going to sniff her out, hopefully,” Stiles says. “Because Allison’s family are trying to hunt her down.”

“Keep me updated, I’ll watch Jade,” Violet says.

“Isn’t it a bit cruel, keeping it from her?” Allison asks.

“We are keeping it from Allison, how is that any different?” Violet asks before tapping the window and heading back to her van.

“Are they going to do something stupid?” Jade asks as Violet climbs in.

“You don’t need to know the answer to that.”

They drive past the cemetery on the way back to the house and Violet almost stops, Jade sense it and moves her head off the glass. “Or you could, I don’t know, call him?” Jade suggests.

“It’s the lights,” Violet says, driving past. “They’re not usually on this late, which means he is still there.”

“You know his schedule, you are really living up to that stalker reputation” Jade says.

“Reputation you gave me,” Violet reminds her, “I just, it cannot be a fun place to be alone.”

“You love cemeteries,” Jade says.

“I am weird,” Violet reminds her. “And I don’t love cemeteries, I just don’t find them scary.”

“You are weird,” Jade agrees. “If you’re worried about him, why not call?”

“You are annoyingly persistent, you know that?”

“You may have mentioned it, once or twice.”

“Hot chocolate?” Jade asks as Violet hands her a mug.

“Cream, marshmallows and all,” Violet says.

“I know you’re worried that I am worrying,” Jade says.

“You are, so I am justified,” Violet points out.

“I know, but Lydia is missing,” Jade says.

“We don’t know that for sure, you know people aren’t missing for at least six hours,” Violet says, “maybe they just haven’t figured out where she went yet.”

“That is literally no difference to being missing, we don’t know where she is, so don’t play word games with me,” Jade says.

“Sorry,” Violet rests her head on Jade’s shoulder. “I don’t know how to make you feel better.”

“I don’t understand how you’re so calm,” Jade says.

“It’s Beacon Hills, I grew up with this,” Violet says, “besides, it’s Lydia, girls indestructible.”


	13. Nothing Else

“I just said it was missing, and even if she did eat it, so what? Livers are the most nutritious part of the body,” Stiles says.

“I don’t know what you two are talking about,” Violet says, slamming her hands down on each of their rucksacks, “but lower your voice.”

“He thinks Lydia ate a liver from a corpse that was tug up at the cemetery last night,” Scott explains.

“Last night? What time?” Violet asks.

“Not too late for there not to be a witness, I heard dad talking about questioning someone about Lydia and the grave digging this morning,” Stiles says.

“Wait, the cemetery, as in the one Isaac works in?” Violet asks.

“Yeah, I think Isaac might actually have been the one that was there when it happened,” Stiles says. Violet feels her heart quickening and knowing Scott can hear that kind of thing, tries to breathe slowly.

“Jade and I drove past last night,” Violet says, right after the hospital. “If it was Lydia, could we have found her if I had just stopped?”

“I think it was probably a little while after you got home,” Scott says, trying to make her feel better. It doesn’t work. Now she is worried about Lydia and about Isaac.

“You guys, she can’t be turning,” Violet says, “she was in the hospital for two weeks, we would have seen signs.”

“Then what else could this be?” Stiles asks.

“Where is Jade?” Scott asks looking around.

“I mean, cute that you’re concerned about my best friend, but not on topic,” Violet says. Scott just looks at her, waiting for an answer. “She doesn’t have a lesson first today, so she said she would open up for work, for extra pay.” Scott nods.

“We good?” Stiles asks. “Because if she isn’t turning, we really need to figure this out and fast because we believe that, but I don’t think the Argents do.”

“Okay, I’ll humour you, Scott when you turned, what were you drawn to?” Violet asks.

“Allison,” he admits.

“Nothing else, seriously?” Stiles asks.

“Nothing else mattered,” Scott says.

“Oh, you melt my heart,” Violet sighs. “But hey, wasn’t she with you when she turned?” She asks Stiles.

“She was looking for Jackson,” Stiles says, watching Jackson’s car pull up.

“Just because Jade isn’t here Violet doesn’t mean you can start a fight,” Scott warns her. Allison steps off the stairs and to Violet’s side.

“I’ll hold him down,” Allison whispers to her.

“Don’t tempt me.”

“What did Jackson say?” Violet says, crashing into the seat next to Stiles in chemistry class. She is running late and it’s a test so no one is in their normal seats.

“Glad you could join us McCall,” Mr. Harris says. She gives him a bitter smile and looks at Stiles as the papers are handed out.

“That Lydia doesn’t need our help, that people need help from Lydia,” Stiles says.

“Jackass,” Violet mumbles.

“I hate to agree with him, like it causes me, actually, physical, pain, to do so, but what is he is right?” Stiles asks.

“Stilinski, this is a test, if I hear your voice again, I may be tempted to give you detention for the rest of your high school career,” Mr. Harris says.

“Can you actually do that?” Stiles asks.

“There it is again, your voice, triggering the only impulse I have ever had to strike a student, repeatedly and violently,” he says.

“I think you should probably assess that, maybe in therapy,” Violet says. Jade throws her a look from the seat in front.

“Pardon Miss McCall?” he asks.

“I am just saying, anyone who has an urge to hit a teenager, which makes them a child, should probably consider psychological assessment,” Violet says. She spots Isaac across the room, he has a black eye that he didn’t have the last time she saw him, and she wonders how he got it, no lacrosse to play over spring break. But that was always the easy lie.

“I’ll see both you and Mr. Stilinski at three for detention,” Mr. Harris says. Scott looks back at them both and Mr. Harris turns to him.

“Would you also, like detention Mr. McCall?” he asks.

“No sir,” Scott says, turning back to his paper. Violet glances at the pages, but her head starts to buzz, she hates science at the best of times, but right now she can’t focus. She watches Jackson dismiss himself with a nose bleed and she can’t help but hope it hurts.

Allison is talking with Jade at the lockers, Allison picks out her dress for the funeral from her locker and Jade talks over everyone and anyone who is talking about Allison and her aunt, loudly, ignorantly like her feelings don’t matter. “Want me to hit them?” Violet asks as she approaches. “You may not be violent, but I am.” Two girls who were talking a little too much start to walk faster away from them.

“Thank you,” Allison says.

“No problem,” Violet reassures her, squeezing her arm. Matt passes them by, camera in hand, and he smiles at Jade and out of curtesy and kindness she smiles back. “Not weird at all.”

“I can’t face it, not today,” Allison says.

“Yes you can,” Violet says, “you have this.”

“I know there is going to be camera and I don’t want to deal with… how am I supposed to stand there and cry for her?” Allison asks.

“You don’t have to cry for her,” Jade says, “she may not have been what you knew her to be, she may not have been what she told you she was, but you still lose someone, the idea of your aunt, the way you knew her, it hurts to lose that too, you still lose her, whether she was who you thought or not.” Allison nods and Violet and Jade take each of her hands and walk her down the corridor.

“Want us to crash the funeral?” Violet offers. She shakes her head.

“No,” she says, “I’ll be alright.”

“I can’t believe he actually tried to keep you longer, the audacity of that man is almost unparalleled,” Violet says. Stiles is just staring at her in a mix of awe and horror.

“I can’t believe you said what you said,” Stiles says.

“We got let out at four, didn’t we?” Violet asks.

“He was keeping us till five, you know that?” Stiles checks.

“I would’ve loved to see him try,” Violet says.

“I understand why Coach is intimidated by you,” Stiles admits.

“Good, he should be,” Violet says, “it’s why he is my favourite, perfect mix or respect and fear.”

“But seriously, you threatened to set a lawyer on Mr. Harris, do you even have that power?” Stiles asks.

“He didn’t want to risk it, did he?” Violet asks. “He knows, he threatened a student, insinuated violence in front of a class of witnesses and then tried to punish you for his own wrong doings and your fathers capable actions as a Sheriff, he cannot do that, and I wasn’t about to let him.”

“I am also, a little scared of you,” Stiles admits. Violet laughs.

“Please, you have seen me in Toy Story pajamas, you cannot be afraid of me Stilinski,” Violet laughs.

“Just a little bit.”

Jade sits on Violet’s bed, and Violet, who arrived way after Jade is sitting on her desk, legs up on her chair. “You look worried now,” Jade tells her.

“I am frustrated more than worried,” Violet says.

“What about?” Jade asks.

“All of it,” Violet says.

“If you’re more specific I can help,” Jade says.

“Jackson, Mr. Harris, the inability to find Lydia, the inability to keep the reporters away from the funeral to help Allison, the inability to help anyone at all,” Violet says, knocking her books off the desk by accident. She starts to mutter a string of curse words and pick them up.

“We can hit Jackson with the van if you know how to clean the evidence,” Jade says, she is joking and Violet knows she is, but it genuinely makes her feel better to hear her say it.

“He would deserve it,” Violet says.

“I can’t disagree with that,” Jade admits. “As for Mr. Harris I think if you genuinely wanted me to-,”

“He is an asshole but if we get him fired, he might be replaced with a bigger asshole,” Violet points out, “but if he fucks with Stiles again, I will cut him.”

“I am sure Stiles appreciates it,” Jade says.

“He is used to my bullshit, the amount of times I got in trouble, I wasn’t a confident kid, I am nothing like I was then, but little me still wouldn’t let people talk shit, and she still liked to do dumb shit,” Violet says.

“Little you, implies it was possible for you to be much smaller than you are now, and I find that hard to believe,” Jade says. Violet throws a pen at her. “About Lydia, you believe in Sheriff Stilinski, you believe he will find her, it is his job.”

“I know,” Violet says, “I just feel I could be more help. I wasn’t there for her when she was attacked, and I was right there when she slipped away and still-,”

“I was too, we are both in the same boat, don’t forget that,” Jade points out. At this point, Jade is doing this exercise with Violet as much for herself as she is for Violet, reminding herself of why she shouldn’t worry, why it is pointless to worry. Because worrying about things you can’t control is never any help. “Allison knows we have her back and we can’t stop the cameras, but we can be here for when she calls.”

“If she calls,” Violet says, “her family are coming to town for the funeral, I wonder what that’s like for her. She barely knows most of them.”

“How long you spend with family isn’t equal to how well you know them,” Jade says, “Kate is a good reminder of that.”

“True,” Violet agrees. “Very true.”

“And as for you not being able to help anyone at all,” Jade says, moving closer to grab her hand. “You help me, more than you’ll ever know.”

“Shush,” Violet says tapping her nose.

“Is your phone ringing?” Jade asks. Violet looks over to see her phone lighting up without sound.

“It must still be on silent from detention,” Violet says picking it up. “Call for Violet?”

“It’s Stiles,” Stiles says, “we found Lydia.”


	14. He Doesn't Think

Violet waits outside the front doors for Allison and Lydia to arrive, it’s Lydia’s first day back and if Jade didn’t have to do yearbook so early so she would be standing with her. Lydia steps out of the car, she looks as beautiful as always, it would be hard to know that she spent two weeks in the hospital and two days in the woods. “Hey beautiful,” Violet calls. “How you feeling?”

“I’m fine,” Lydia says. Violet rolls her eyes.

“Say it with more confidence,” Violet says.

“Personally, I don’t care,” Lydia says, “I lost nine pounds. It’s not like I am related to serial killer.”

“I don’t have anything to say in response to that,” Violet says holding the door open for them both. The stares both Allison and Lydia get upon walking in make them both stop in their steps. All eyes are on the two of them.

“Maybe it’s the nine pounds,” Allison offers.

Violet, eager to get to class and ignore the hoards of idiots, ditches her netted overshirt, leaving her in something Scott wouldn’t exactly call a top, but technically counts as a crop top. Allison tries not to smile, and Lydia just holds her head high and takes Allison’s hand. “Let’s go,” Violet says, shoving the overtop in her bag.

“You might get a dress code violation,” Lydia says.

“Fucking watch Mr. Harris try,” Violet laughs, walking just a step in front of them both, all the way to class.

“I think they’d be sweet together, don’t you think?” Allison asks, looking at Scott as he takes Jade’s books from her hands and carries them, she tells him not to and he ignores her.

“Those two?” Lydia asks. “I feel like that’s a trap question. Am I just supposed to say that you deserve better? Get a rebound? Move on?”

“No, I mean it,” Allison says, “I think she would be really good for him, I think they’d be really happy together.”

“But Jade won’t, she’s a sweet person, respects boundaries,” Lydia says. “Scott’s your ex.”

“I guess I just, should let her know,” Allison says.

“Why help him, you broke up with him for a reason, right?” Lydia asks.

“Not because I don’t like him, but because we weren’t right together,” Allison says, “I want him to be happy.”

“Well, aren’t you cute, I want Jackson to suffer,” Lydia says.

“I just want Scott to be happy,” Allison says, “and we can still be friends, it is what friends want for each other, right?”

“I mean, who is to say Jade would even be interested?” Lydia says. “It’s Violet’s brother after all.”

“I don’t think it takes too much of looking at the two of them together to see that it’s just a matter of time,” Allison says.

Jade joins arms with Violet and the girls leaving Stiles and Scott to go get ready for practice, walk to join Lydia and Allison. “You’re looking great,” Jade says.

“Aren’t I?” Lydia smiles.

“Erica sends her regards, she is off today,” Violet says putting her phone away. Lydia looks surprised, she wouldn’t have thought that she would cross Erica’s mind, their circles barely overlap.

“I, um,” Lydia pauses, “tell her thank you.” That rocks Violet a little, Lydia isn’t one to say thank you often, and even less to mean it, especially in the direction of someone like Erica, but she smiles and takes it because anything from Lydia seen as remote improvement feels like a win.

“Got your camera out?” Allison asks. “I thought we had gym.”

“You do,” Violet says, “she has year book obligations at practice and I don’t do gym, so I am joining her.”

“You swim,” Lydia points out.

“Only exception,” Violet says back. “I do not like organized sport, I think it is dumb, I think it is often barbaric and the rules make little to no sense to me.”

“She isn’t a team player,” Jade laughs.

“That is true,” Violet admits. She sees Jackson heading towards the gym changing rooms and her blood boils. “I am going to stab that boy in the eyes with rusty scissors.”

“Make sure it hurts,” Lydia says.

“Oh it will,” Violet reassures her, taking her hand.

“You have any okay spring break?” Allison asks Jade.

“I spent a lot of it working,” Jade says.

“And babysitting my brother,” Violet says, trying to get something from her bag.

“And that,” Jade laughs, “but I didn’t mind that, Scott is good company.” She realizes what she is saying and she quietens her voice.

“I am glad Scott has you, you seem to make him happy,” Allison says. She is trying to be gentle, to be subtle, and Jade looks up to meet her direct gaze, Allison nods gently and reaches for her hand. “Scott needs someone like you,” Allison says giving Jade a gentle squeeze.

“I don’t know,” Jade says, trying to understand, trying to be sure. “I think he is just, with everything that has happened, a little lost.”

“That is exactly why he needs someone like you,” Allison says, “because you care and you aren’t afraid to be direct in that caring, you’ll keep his head on straight, I believe in you.” Violet looks at the two of them.

“I am supportive and all, but whatever weird sex code that was, still my brother, still don’t want to hear it,” Violet says. Lydia laughs, a real laugh, and Violet feels proud of herself. Not only has she distracted from a somewhat awkward approach to Allison telling Jade to just go for it with Scott, not only has she refused the tension, but she has also made Lydia Martin laugh. Quite the achievement.

“We need to go,” Jade says grabbing her bag, “but see you later?”

“Sure,” Allison nods, but she still hasn’t let go of her hand, she is waiting for something. Jade smiles at her, and gives her a little squeeze.

“I appreciate it,” Jade says, “but I don’t think he-,”

“He doesn’t think,” Allison says, “if you are relying on him realizing, you’ll be here a while.”

“This has been agreed to on the condition you two stay in the upper benches,” Coach reminds Jade and Violet.

“Worried I’ll show your boys up Coach?” Violet asks.

“Something like that,” Coach says walking back down to the field.

“More like worried you’ll be a distraction,” Stiles says.

“Put a jacket on, please,” Scott says.

“Not a chance in hell big brother, I am not cold,” Violet says.

“We have bigger issues right now,” Stiles reminds him. Jade stands up to take a photo.

“I can’t just sit up here, if they want me to take good photos, they’re going to have to live with me moving around,” Jade says, passing Violet her bag. “Cover for me?”

“Always,” Violet reassures her. Once she is out of ear range Violet looks back to Stiles.

“Bigger issues?” Violet asks.

“There’s another wolf,” Scott says.

“In Beacon Hills, who is surprised?” Violet asks.

“In the lacrosse team,” Scott says.

“Oh,” Violet nods. “I see the issue.”

“It’s new, I haven’t sensed one here before,” Scott says.

“Are you sure they’re new or maybe, the school is a relative size and you just hadn’t noticed, or you’re learning to better use your senses, you haven’t been like this all that long, remember,” Violet points out. Scott shakes his head.

“No, I am sure of it,” Scott says.

“Fine, I believe you,” Violet says, “but what does that mean? Someone is new in town, or Derek with his new abilities is playing alpha and trying to protect himself from the Argents, however many there are of them now?”

“It seems like a very Derek thing to do,” Stiles admits.

“Wasn’t Derek only pardoned because of the rules or code or whatever Allison’s family live by, if he is turning people, doesn’t that violate it? Doesn’t that open him and any new wolves up for an attack?” Violet asks.

“I think they’re going to be attacked regardless, I saw Allison’s grandfather Gerard, I saw what he did to an Omega, the one that went for the body in the graveyard, the one that attacked the ambulance, he just butchered him,” Scott says.

“Be careful,” Violet warns him. “Don’t get yourself caught up and killed, big brother, or I will resurrect you, just to kill you again.”

“I know,” Scott says, “I know.”

“McCall, Stilinski, get down here,” Coach yells at them.

“You better go,” Violet says, “but I’ll be watching. Whatever you two do.”

Violet catches Matt trying to talk to Jade and she quickly scrambles down the steps to save her. “Jade,” Violet says loudly, “I think I found a decent vantage point.”

“Okay,” Jade says, her eyes thanking her for the distraction as Violet pulls her away from the conversation with Matt. “I admit, I made a mistake.”

“I know,” Violet says, “we all do.”


	15. Hypocrite

Stiles strikes a pose for Jade as she points the camera in his direction and she laughs. Stiles, even in his stress, seems to still be acting twice his chaotic self and that reassures Violet, it is at least something consistent. In the strange calmness of the moment Violet starts to put the pieces together, the things that her head has been too busy thinking about werewolves and Lydia to focus on, to think about. Something about Stiles.

_“Jade doesn’t really have a type, she isn’t like me, she just likes who she likes, sometimes it makes no sense to me, but if she is happy, she is happy, you know?” Violet is mumbling in Stiles’ general direction. She is talking about Jade to avoid talking about her own feelings, it is something she does a lot. She is thinking about Isaac more than she wants to. She can’t actually start to fall for the boy, she won’t let herself. She could distract herself with a million things and yet her mind keeps wandering back to him. Violet has always gone after things she can’t have, usually because others are the ones telling her she can’t have them, but not it’s just her. She doesn’t know if he would even like her, but that’s on her. She doesn’t do insecurity like that, especially not with boys. So, something feels very wrong._

_“Jade doesn’t seem to show an interest in anyone,” Stiles says, reaching a little but he doesn’t know why._

_“You wouldn’t know if she did,” Violet says, “unless she is going for it, which she doesn’t always do, she can be hard to read. I know her so well and even I miss those things sometimes. She takes so much time and energy looking after everyone else that I think she even forgets to think about her own feelings.”_

_“She’s really cool Jade,” Stiles says._

_“She’s something else entirely,” Violet admits._

_“You sound like you have a crush on her,” Stiles says. Violet laughs._

_“Who wouldn’t?” Violet asks throwing him a packet of crisps._

_“You’d have to be an idiot I guess,” Stiles admits._

“You like her,” Violet whispers. “You don’t even realise it, but you like her.”

“Pardon?” Jade asks, turning the camera towards her.

“Nothing, I was mumbling to myself,” Violet says quickly.

“Your brother isn’t usually in goal, and from what I can tell, there is a good reason for it, he is on the attack today,” Jade laughs. Scott is being yelled at for the third time. He looks towards Jade and the camera and Jade snaps a photo. She can’t see his face for the helmet but Jade is sure he is smiling in that goofy smile he does. Jade watching him, not through the lens, but just pausing to watch him.

“Did Allison just, try to set me up with Scott earlier?” Jade asks Violet.

“I think she did,” Violet admits.

“Why would she do that?”

“Because you two would be good together, and she wants Scott to move on, so she can move on,” Violet suggests.

“I don’t think Scott even thinks of me, remotely like that,” Jade says.

“I wouldn’t be so sure,” Violet says. “My brother has a bit of a type, and you fit it perfectly.”

“Shut up,” Jade says.

“Pretty, sweet, caring, brunette” Violet starts to list of her similarities and Jade threatens her gently, so she stops. “I am just saying, I wouldn’t put yourself down Jade, we both know you’re a catch and my brother isn’t a complete dumbass.”

“You don’t think-,”

“Rarely,” Violet jokes cutting her off and pointing to the pitch so she can take another photo. “Just don’t think about it, some of the best things happen when you don’t think about it.”

“I don’t know,” Jade says.

“You’ve been actively trying to avoid showing your feelings, which makes it even harder for him to see anything, look, I am not telling you what to do Jade but you are allowed to be happy, you know.”

“Hypocrite,” Jade says, pointing the camera at Isaac. She takes a photo and then starts muttering in frustration.

“Blurry?” Violet asks. Jade sighs, handing her the camera.

“No, my camera just doesn’t like eyes apparently,” Jade says. Violet checks the photo, slowly, and although it’s subtle, due to the helmet and the angle, Isaac’s eyes, just like Scott’s are glowing.

Violet tries to hand the camera back with a smile before she walks a little closer to the pitch. “Scott can you hear me?” Violet whispers. She sees Scott move a little, glancing in her direction. “I’ll take that as a yes, I don’t want to be right, but I think I know who the wolf is.”

Isaac is next in line to try to shoot, since Jackson dismisses himself. Scott is looking at Violet when Coach blows the whistle and brings his attention back to the game. “Be gentle Scott, just in case,” Violet says. She is mad at herself already, the black eye Isaac had before, he didn’t have it today, and Isaac didn’t seem to be a fast healer, not with all the cuts and bruises she has noticed over the time she has known him. For it to disappear like that… it should’ve caught her attention. But her attention wasn’t on that, it was on all the things about him she was trying not to think about, that distracted her from all the things she should’ve been thinking about.

Scott tackles Isaac and he doesn’t even blink, she can see them both, even at this distance because she is looking, and Jade is changing the camera settings, and their eyes are both glowing. “Oh shit,” Violet says raking a hand through her hair. “Scott, don’t say a thing.” She can feel Stiles looking at her. Stiles, the only other person that actually has a clue about how deep the crush goes. How the flirting and the jokes are more than just that. Stiles looking at her, concerned. And Violet avoiding looking at any of them.

“Jade, have you got everything you need?” Violet asks, wanting to leave now.

“Sure,” Jade says reaching for her bag.

“We should probably go before they actually finish up,” Violet says, “to avoid Matt.”

Scott watches the girls leave but as they leave, Sheriff Stilinski and a few others officers arrive. They ask for Isaac and the team gather around, talking amongst themselves. “It’s Isaac,” Stiles says.

“Violet noticed, I don’t know how, but she knew,” Scott says, “at least she will understand.”

“Understand what?” Stiles asks.

“Why she can’t hang out with him,” Scott says. Stiles laughs, thinking Scott is joking, Scott isn’t joking.

“You’ve got it wrong Scott, Violet will not go for that,” Stiles says.

“It’s just one friend,” Scott says.

“I don’t think you get it,” Stiles says, “not only is that not true, but also you are not in the position to say she can’t hang out with wolves.”

“Why because I am one?” Scott asks.

“Because you’re her brother and she won’t take that from you,” Stiles points out.

“He is a new wolf, he is unpredictable, dangerous, angry,” Scott points out.

“So… what, she abandons him? Should I have done that with you?” Stiles asks.

“They don’t have a friendship like that, they hang out sometimes, they’re chemistry partners, Violet will understand” Scott says.

“She will not,” Stiles says. Stiles does not want to give it away, not want to betray Violet’s trust but Scott couldn’t see feelings if they hit him in the face.

“Shh,” Scott says, “I am trying to hear what they are saying.”

“What are they saying?” Stiles asks.

“His dad is dead, they think he was murdered,” Scott says, giving him a look.

“I don’t care if you think he did it, do they?” Stiles asks.

“I don’t know, why?” Scott asks.

“Because if he is a suspect, they can put him in hold tonight,” Stiles says, “on the full moon.”

“Overnight?” Scott asks.

“During the full moon,” Stiles emphasizes each word carefully.

“How good at these holding cells at holding people?” Scott asks.

“People, good,” Stiles says, turning to him, “werewolves, probably not that good.”

“Stiles, remember when I said I don’t have the urge to maim and kill?” Scott asks.

“Yeah?”

“Well, I think he does.”

“Violet,” Stiles says grabbing her right as she leaves the library. Jade has had English for the last period so she was trying to distract herself, but she couldn’t see Isaac anywhere she went and his absence was loud.

“I don’t want to talk about it,” she says quickly.

“You left right before, I know what you think I want to talk about and I know why you’re avoiding it but I need you to listen to me,” Stiles says. “Scott wouldn’t want me mentioning it, because he has gone all big brother and wants to keep you far away from Isaac, but I think you need to know.”

“I need to know what?” Violet asks.

“His dad is dead,” Stiles says. Violet freezes.

“Mr. Lahey is dead?” Violet asks. She feels weird, a mix of relieved and worried.

“The cops picked Isaac up,” Stiles says, “and they can hold him, as a suspect for twenty-four hours.”

“Why are you telling me this Stiles?” Violet asks.

“Because it’s a full moon tonight.”

“We need to get to Scott, now,” Violet says, dragging Stiles along.

Scott who is sat in chemistry, looks very confused when he sees Violet. “Did Derek do it?” Violet asks, checking the door, waiting for Jade to get in.

“What?” Scott asks.

“Derek, did Derek turn him?” Violet asks.

“We can only assume he did,” Scott says.

“Why?” Violet asks. “Why him?”

“It doesn’t matter, it matters that he did it,” Scott says.

“It fucking matters Scott,” Violet says.

“Don’t get so mad, I don’t see why you’re mad, you barely know him,” Scott says. Wrong words at the wrong time.

“Maybe teenagers stand a better chance at surviving,” Stiles offers trying to defuse Violet.

“That’s a point, he is a teenager, surely they can’t hold him,” Violet says.

“Not unless they have evidence, or a witness,” Stiles says. Stiles pauses and turns back to look at Danny. “Danny, where is Jackson?”

“In the principals office, talking to your dad,” Danny says. Violet is out of her seat before either of the boys get a chance to say a thing.

“She needs Jade,” Stiles says.

“She is so angry today,” Scott says.

“And you’re extra stupid today,” Stiles says.

“Where do you three think you’re going?” Mr. Harris asks as they leave. None of them answer. “I will send you all to the principal.”

“Fucking do it,” Violet says.


	16. I Need A Favour

They pass Jade on the way to the office, she is running a little late, but as soon as she sees Violet, she no longer cares about chemistry class. “Can we talk?” Jade asks, gesturing to the empty classroom next to the principal’s office.

“Please keep her from adding the ‘n’ to her name because I feel she is a genuine threat to others, right now,” Stiles says. Jade nods as she pulls her into the room and the boys take a seat outside the office.

“Jade,” Violet starts, not really knowing where to begin.

“Now, I don’t know how to ask this, so I am just going to ask because I need to, and then like I have follow up,” Jade says. “Did you… kill Isaac’s dad?”

“What?” Violet asks, almost laughing at the idea.

“Look, I understand if you did, but I need you to explain to me, was it an accident? Was it intentional? Do you require an alibi? Will they figure out it was you? And also… was it like a one-off thing or do I need to take a few weeks to come to terms with the idea you might be a serial killer, it was always a possibility but it felt like a very vague possibility,” Jade says.

“A part of you genuinely believes I could have killed him, doesn’t it?” Violet asks. “I am not sure if I should be concerned or flattered by that.”

“But you didn’t?” Jade asks.

“No, I didn’t kill him, I was literally with you last night,” Violet reminds her. Jade pauses to think about it for a moment.

“Okay, good, because like I love you Vee, but like, prison visits would suck,” Jade says.

“I didn’t kill him, I wanted to, but I didn’t,” Violet says, leaning her head against the wall.

“Are you eavesdropping on the sheriff?” Jade asks. Violet nods.

“He is interviewing Jackson, Jackson being a potential witness to what happened,” Violet explains. “And I also want to just know what he has to say, the dickwad.”

“Okay,” Jade says, “I am running late for chemistry, which is where you should be right now,” Jade reminds her.

“I got Mr. Harris to send me to the principals office,” Violet says.

“Avoiding Isaac?” Jade asks.

“No,” Violet says, “the officers have Isaac, they think he is a suspect.”

_“Violet,” Jade taps Violet’s head trying to get her attention. “Violet.” When that fails, she tugs on her hair._

_“Ouch, what the hell?” Violet asks._

_“You were gone,” Jade says._

_“Look,” Violet says, nodding to further down the hall where Isaac is stood at his locker._

_“Isaac,” Jade says._

_“Not that,” Violet says. “He looks different.”_

_“Does he?”_

_“Yeah,” Violet says, concerned. “He does.”_

“When you said this morning, that he looked different,” Jade says.

“He didn’t do it,” Violet says. “Which is why I need to listen.”

“I’ll see you after class,” Jade says, “but if you need anything, call me and I will be here in a heartbeat.”

“I know, now don’t get in trouble because of me,” Violet says. Jade smiles, giving her arm a squeeze as she leaves.

“You are always getting us in trouble.” Violet watches Jade go and then returns to listening through the wall, playing absently with a pencil as she does.

“You knew Isaac’s father was hitting him?” the Sheriff asks. Violet winces.

“Hitting him? He was kicking the crap out of him,” Jackson says.

“Did you ever say anything to anyone? A teacher, parent, anyone?” Noah asks. Violet feels that in her stomach, she didn’t say anything because she didn’t have proof, just a bad feeling and a horrible sense from his father, but Jackson, Jackson had proof, had seen what he had seen with his own eyes. Someone like Jackson they would have believed.

“Nope, not my problem,” Jackson says. Violet snaps the pencil clean in half. Not only is Jackson implicating Isaac in the murder, maybe intentionally, but also, he is proving further that he is and always has been, the very worst kind of rich, entitled jackass. Violet looks at the sharp broken wood of the led pencil and wonders how long it would take for him to bleed out if she stabbed him with it. It isn’t like he wouldn’t deserve it.

“Of course not,” Noah says and Violet can hear it in his voice, the exact same disappointment, hatred of Jackson’s personality, as Violet has. “You know, it’s funny that the kids getting beaten up are always the ones who least deserve it.” Violet cracks a smile.

“Way to go Noah,” she whispers. “Way to go.”

“I think we are done here,” he says dismissing Jackson. She hears the Sheriff leave and from the awkward interaction, she assumes he spots Scott and a poorly attempting to be subtle Stiles as he does. She quickly exits the room.

“Boys,” Gerard says stepping out the office. Violet sees him and steps back into the room. “Was there another of you?”

“No,” they both say, trying to help Violet. Gerard looks around and not really caring enough to check, he brings the boys into the office. Violet waits a moment and then rushes down the corridor after Mr. Stilinski.

“Sheriff,” she calls out to him. He stops, as do his colleagues, and seeing Violet, he tells them to continue on and he approaches her slowly.

“Violet, shouldn’t you be in class?” he asks.

“My friend, he wasn’t in class, and now you’re here and Jackson is being questioned, and I am worried,” Violet says. She doesn’t like to deceive Noah, Noah is the closest thing she considers to being a father figure in her life and she doesn’t want to upset or disappoint him in any way, so she is always careful with how she approaches him in situations, even as a kid. But she knows, she stands a better chance than Scott or Stiles with Noah, at getting any real answers. “This, isn’t about Isaac? Is it?”

“You know Isaac, huh?” he asks. Violet looks down and away, playing nervous, playing un-subtle teen, a role she plays quite well.

“A little,” she says.

“Look, it’s an open investigation, last night, there was an incident with his father,” he says.

“He didn’t do whatever you think he did,” Violet says. “He can’t have.” Sheriff frowns.

“Do you know where Isaac was last night? He has given us his side of the story but he doesn’t have an alibi, if you know something,” Noah says. Violet looks away again.

“I,” she pauses. “Thank you, I should be getting to class.”

“Violet,” Noah says, “you know you can talk to me.”

“I know,” she nods, “I know.”

Violet catches Scott rushing down the hallway just as the police start to leave. “Where are you going?” Violet asks.

“They’re taking Isaac to the station, something Jackson said,” Scott explains.

“I know exactly what that dick said,” Violet says. They make it to the doors right as the cars pull away, and Violet, seeing him for just a second, hides behind the wall. Not wanting to meet his eye as he leaves. “He didn’t do it Scott.”

Stiles joins them and looks to Scott, “Why exactly are the Argents running the school now?” Stiles asks.

“Because they can,” Violet says. “What did he want from you, anyway?”

“He wanted to know about Allison, about our grades, our behavior, I think he just wanted to seem threatening,” Stiles says.

“I don’t think he knows about us,” Scott says, “I have seen what he can do, he is worse than the others, he is terrifying for a sweet old man.”

“Okay, cool,” Violet says, pulling her jacket from her bag.

“So you do have a jacket,” Scott says.

“Do you want to fight me right now?” Violet asks.

“I don’t understand what has gotten you so mad,” Scott says. “We are worried about the full moon but you, I get the same reading off you as I did Isaac, you are angry.”

“No shit Sherlock,” Violet says, putting on her jacket and heading to the cars.

_Jade, I need a favour. - V_

“Where are you going?” Scott asks.

_Anything. – J_

“To have words with Derek Hale,” Violet says.

_Distract my brother for a few hours. - V_

“Wait what?” Stiles asks practically tripping over the words.

_How do you expect me to do that? - J_

“Do you even know where Derek is?” Scott asks.

_Please, just think of something, anything. – V_

_Do I want to know why? – J_

_No. I love you. - V_

“Well, I just have to play the game, I am a creepy stalker werewolf type who likes to turn literal teenagers into wolves for my own purpose, where would be the logical place for me to hang out? Answer is, the creepy burned remains of the house my family was massacred in,” Violet says. Scott and Stiles share a look.

“Well, she isn’t wrong,” Stiles admits.

“Don’t try to follow me Scott,” Violet warns. Scott tries to argue but Jade calls him and Violet smirks. Scott looks at his phone and then back at Violet as she waves.


	17. Fuck. You. Derek. Hale

Violet is full of rage. At Jackson. At the situation. At Derek. At the idea of all that has happened to Isaac and all that might now happen to him. She is bubbling over and she is threatening to explode. So, when she reaches the burned Hale house, she doesn’t pause to think, she doesn’t think about Derek or the danger or the fact he is an alpha. She doesn’t think about the hunters that could be tracking him or all the reasons she shouldn’t face Derek Hale. She just feels the rage growing.

“Derek, fucking, Hale,” Violet says hitting the door. “Show yourself, you coward.” When there is no response from inside, she lets herself in. The inside of the house looks just as barren, as broken, as haunting as the outside. “Atta girl Violet, do every dumb horror movie option, that’s the best technique,” she criticizes herself, “you’re fucking better than this.”

“What do you want… other McCall?” Derek asks from the top of the stairs.

“I want a fucking explanation on who gave you the right,” Violet snaps. He looks at her, the same mix of impressed and confused he has looked at her with before.

“Right,” he sighs. “Am I supposed to know what that means?”

“You can act all distant and mysterious and creepy and nonchalant with everyone else Derek,” Violet says, “but I am not having any of it.”

“I genuinely don’t know why you are here, McCall,” he says.

“It’s Violet,” Violet says, “the name is Violet and you would do well to remember that because I get a horrible feeling this isn’t the last time you will have to deal with me.”

“Does your brother know you’re here?” he asks.

“Did you turn Isaac Lahey?” Violet asks, coming out with it. Derek pauses on the last step of the stairs.

“He is why you are here?” Derek asks. “That is interesting.”

“Fuck interesting, answer the question, this mess is all your fault, isn’t it?” Violet asks.

“What mess?” Derek asks.

“Can you manage more than basic sentences?” Violet asks. Derek crosses his arms, Violet does not intimidate him, not in the slightest, however he knows she isn’t intimidated by him either, not like Stiles or even Scott. He can’t tell if that is stupidity or bravery, arrogance or confidence. He also can’t tell if he likes that about her or hates it.

“What mess?” he repeats.

“Isaac’s dad is dead-,”

“Not my fault,” Derek says.

“Not his either,” Violet says. Derek raises an eyebrow.

“So, you know he didn’t do it,” Derek says.

“Of course he didn’t do it,” Violet says.

“Why be-,”

“If you even try to mock me Derek Hale, you will regret it,” Violet warns him.

“If you aren’t mad at me about turning him-,”

“I am, I am all kinds of mad at you for turning him, because you have put him in so much danger he doesn’t even understand,” Violet snaps.

“He understands perfectly, unlike with your brother Isaac had a choice, I gave him the choice,” Derek says, “he chose this.”

“I don’t care, he doesn’t understand what he chose,” Violet says.

“Why are you really here, Violet?” Derek asks. “You want me to fix him? Send him back to the sad existence he had-,”

“I want you to acknowledge you put him in danger he did not deserve,” Violet says, a growl in her voice.

“And what, he deserved the life he did have?” Derek asks. “Do you know what he was living with?”

“I know,” Violet says.

“No, you don’t, you might think you do, but you don’t,” Derek says.

“I get the idea,” Violet snaps.

“Then why are we having this conversation?” Derek asks.

“Because he is being held overnight in the holding cells for the murder of his dad, which he did not commit, and it’s a full moon,” Violet says. Something in Derek’s eyes shifts, like he realizes something.

“Then help him,” Derek says.

“Help him? Why do you think I am here?”

“To yell at me for something so you don’t have to face your real problems,” Derek says.

“You don’t know me, Derek Hale,” Violet says.

“You know I told him everything, about the full moon, the urges, the pain, the hunters, I told him it all, and he only had one concern before he agreed,” Derek says. “He said to me, ‘but there is this girl’.”

“Fuck you” Violet start to walk away, out of the burned house and back into the woods. But Derek can’t help it, for some reason, he has to say something to her.

“You’ve been around your brother enough to know that the bite doesn’t change who you are as a person, if a person changes because of the bite, they chose to change, it wasn’t the bite that did that, the bite gives them power, skill, it doesn’t change how they act or feel” Derek says. “So why does it matter?”

“Maybe you have never cared about anyone else’s life enough Derek to be willing to give stuff up for them to have a better chance, maybe you don’t know what it’s like to care about what happens to someone, but I do, and you just screwed my efforts, all the pain that went into trying to protect him from me, you just fucked that, so thank,”

“You mean you’re angry because you no longer have an excuse to run from your feelings,” Derek says. “You say you stay away because you didn’t want to hurt him, didn’t want to make his life difficult, but now you know nothing you can do could make it more difficult, only easier, and now you have no excuse to run and that scares you.”

“Fuck. You. Derek. Hale.”

“If you care so much, help him.”

“I don’t know how.”

“Then figure it out.”

Scott is trying to not seem distracted as he helps Jade. He enjoys being around her and he wants to help her all he can, but his mind is somewhere else. Except for the moments she smiles at him, then it is just here, with her. Like right now, as she turns to him and smiles, and they hold each other’s gaze for a moment too long and both look away, flustered. Jade checks the time, she is sure she has held Scott up for long enough now, school’s been over for thirty minutes and she isn’t sure there is much else she can do to keep Scott distracted. Scott’s phone buzzes and he looks at it, an unknown number.

“You can take it, I am not holding you captive sunshine,” Jade says. Scott picks it up to hear Derek’s voice.

“Where are you?” Derek asks.

“I’m at school still,” Scott says trying to move out of Jade’s hearing range.

“I’m outside, come meet me,” Derek says.

“No,” Scott argues.

“I have to show you, I did what I did for a reason,” Derek says.

“Why?” Scott asks.

“Because despite what you or Stiles or your sister thinks, I am not the villain here, now get your ass out here before I come and get you McCall,” Derek says and hangs up.

Scott walks back towards Jade, not looking up from his phone, trying to think of the best way to excuse himself and he walks straight into her, they bump heads and Jade laughs awkwardly. “Sorry,” Scott says so fast, like a reflex.

“It’s alright,” Jade admits, “head in a damn book I am surprised it hasn’t happened more often, Violet often said you were clumsy.” She looks back at him, and he is still very close to her, not having moved back. He runs a thumb gently over where he bumped her head, and she just looks at him, and he looks back, for a lingering moment.

“Sorry, I might have bruised you,” he says, not looking away.

“I don’t bruise easy,” Jade reassures him.

“I am sorry,” Scott says again.

“Stop apologizing Scott, it was an accident,” Jade says.

“No, I am sorry because I have to go,” he says, stepping back out of the little bubble of space they had created between them.

“That’s okay,” Jade says, looking at the ground. “Thank you for helping, I didn’t mean to keep you so long.”

“I’m always happy to spend time with you Jade,” Scott says before leaving. “I’ll talk to you later?”

“Call me anytime,” Jade says without thinking. He smiles and rushes out the door. Jade slumps back into a chair, kicking herself slightly. Scott. McCall. How she has let herself get so caught up in her best friends brother she will never understand. “Sugar,” Jade reaches for her phone and rings Violet. “I kept him busy as long as I could.”

“Thank you, you are the light of my life Jade Holland,” Violet says.

“I know,” Jade says. “Did you need anything, I have a shift in an hour but I could cancel?”

“Don’t be silly,” Violet says, “I am alright, you can go to work, don’t worry about me.”

“I do worry about you, especially when you are like this, I worry about all the violent things you could do Violet.”

“We are avoiding the extra ‘n’ today, don’t worry,” Violet says, “I promised I would be good, and I won’t start fights if I can help it, and hey, you punched Jackson, not me.”

“Well, if there is anything I can do, just let me know, okay?”

“Well, there is… actually one, little thing…”

“Go on.”

“If anyone asks if I was with you last night, like any adult, with authority, just say ‘I don’t want to get Violet in trouble,’ and if they continue to ask just tell them that I lied about being with you, so I could hide from my family who I was really with.”

“Violet… what are you doing?”

“Can you trust me?”

“Can you not get yourself arrested?”

“I won’t.”

“As long as you promise me you aren’t going down for accomplice to murder or obstruction of justice,” Jade says.

“I promise, no one will likely ask anyway.”

“Violet… please don’t do something completely reckless.”

“I won’t do something completely reckless, I promise. Love you.”

“I love you too.”


	18. I Am His Alibi

Violet taps the stirring wheel with an erratic rhythm, trying to think of any possible plot holes in her thoughts. She didn’t take the car to Jade’s because she decided to walk, Jade had given her an earful for that one, so there was no reason the van could give her away, and even if she had driven, she could talk her way out of it. She could talk her way out of most things, which is why she was so confident this could work. She only needed one thing. Isaac to play along. Which is where the concern really sat, she doesn’t know Isaac that well, she barely knows him at all. And yet she is trying to pull this off. There are so many things that could go wrong. “You’re being an idiot if you think this is going to work,” Violet tells herself. “A complete fool.” She stares at herself in the mirror. “And you’re still going to do this, aren’t you? You idiot McCall, you complete dumbass,” Violet gets out the van with purpose, still cursing at herself.

She walks straight up to the desk. “Can I speak to someone, ideally Sheriff Stilinski?” she asks.

“Sheriff Stilinski is a very busy man,” the receptionist starts.

“I have information, regarding the Lahey case,” Violet says. His expression changes.

“I’ll see who is next available to talk to you.”

“Thank you,” Violet says pulling a lollipop from her pocket and unwrapping it slowly. “I guess, I will take a seat.”

“Sorry, Mr. Harris had me in detention,” Stiles says calling Allison back from her twelve missed calls.

“I can’t get a hold of Scott or Violet,” Allison says, “but Isaac is in danger, not just because of the full moon, not just because he is stuck in the station.”

“What do you mean?” Stiles asks.

“My family sent someone, someone who looked like an officer to go collect him, and they were carrying some kind of box, it had like a flower or something on it,” Allison says.

“Was it purple?”

“I think so,” Allison says.

“Was it wolfsbane?” Stiles asks.

“I don’t know what it was, but they think Isaac killed his dad, and with the code,” Allison says.

“It’s an execution,” Stiles says. “Scott was with Derek, said Derek had to show him something, at Isaac’s house, do we have any idea what that could have been?”

“I’m sorry Stiles I don’t know more, and I can’t help anymore, I have to go, but be careful, it’s dangerous.”

“Wait, Allison, can you slow him down, whoever your dad sent?”

“I can try,” Allison says and hangs up.

“Scott,” Stiles says ringing him, hoping he will pick up.

“Stiles this place,” Scott says. “What Isaac went through-,”

“No time for that,” Stiles says, “Isaac is in danger, from the Argents, now.”

“We have to help him,” Scott says.

“How do you suggest we do that?” Stiles asks.

“Meet me at the station.”

Violet is leaning on the counter at the police station when Scott and Stiles walk in. “What are you doing here?” Scott asks.

“I could ask you the same thing,” Violet responds taking the lollipop from her mouth and holding it loosely between two fingers.

“Seriously, what are you doing here,” Stiles tries but he looks around and notices she is alone, “no Jade, whatever you are doing here is bad…”

“She didn’t want to get involved,” Violet says.

“With what?”

“They’re holding Isaac and he didn’t do anything,” Violet says.

“You can’t know that,” Scott says. “I agree but you can’t know that.”

“Sure, I can, I am his alibi.”

“You’re his what?” Scott asks. “Violet, you don’t understand.”

“I understand perfectly,” Violet says, “he can’t be held if they have no reason.”

“Violet it’s getting late,” Scott says.

“I am not scared of him,” Violet says.

“You should be,” Stiles says.

“Scott I thought we might at least see eye to eye on this, you always want to help people, protect them, even when they don’t deserve it, but Isaac does, you don’t know but trust me-,” Scott cuts her off.

“I know Violet, maybe more than you,” Scott says. “And I want to help him. But you cannot be involved.”

“What, with the case? With the supernatural? Or just with him?” Violet asks. Her anger is showing. The officer comes out and looks at Violet again.

“This way Miss,” she directs Violet around to another room. Violet hands Scott her lollipop and follows the officer.

“Is she…?” Scott asks.

“Lying to the police, yeah, I think she might be,” Stiles says, running a hand over his head in frustration. “She is so….”

“Like us?” Scott suggests.

“Exactly.”

“That’s what scares me.”

“Telling her to keep out of this is the wrong move Scott.”

“She can stay away from one supernatural,” Scott says.

“Maybe not this one.”

“Can I get you a drink, a glass of water, anything?” the police lady asks.

“I was hoping to talk to Sheriff Stilinski,” Violet says. “He is a family friend, I would feel more comfortable.”

“He will be along shortly, but if I can get you started, let you know your rights, the rules, what will happen?” She asks. Violet nods.

“Can I see him?” Violet asks.

“See who?”

“Isaac.”

“Not right now,” she says. She talks her through procedure and common law, about how her interview will be recorded and all the reasons she might want a guardian present and Violet listens and nods but she is growing more and more impatient. Noah walks in and she visibly relaxes.

“I wasn’t sure if I would see you again today Violet,” he says, dismissing the other officer.

“I have some information on the case,” Violet says.

“So, they tell me,” Noah says. “Something you want to share?”

“I’m sorry I lied before,” Violet says. “When you said Isaac didn’t say anything, I knew he was still trying to protect me, and I appreciate that, but I don’t want him suffering because he is trying to keep my secret.”

“What do you mean?” Noah asks.

“Isaac does have an alibi, Sheriff,” Violet says. “Me.”

“You?” he asks. “Really?”

“I told mum and Scott I was with Jade, because Scott doesn’t approve and mum is still mad about the whole getting expelled thing, I am still… not allowed to be doing things like going on dates and hanging out with boys, but I am allowed to see Jade, so I have been seeing Jade a lot lately, even when she is at work, or not at home,” Violet says.

“I see,” Noah says.

“Isaac knew that if Scott or mum found out I would get in trouble, and he is… sweet and he didn’t want to risk it, but I can’t let you hold him here overnight because I don’t want to get caught in a lie, that isn’t fair,” Violet says.

“He is being considered a suspect for murder, you do realise that,” he says. “He must really like you to not risk getting you in trouble, when he is being faced with that kind of accusation.”

“Isaac is a really good guy,” Violet says. “It’s why I had to come down here.”

“Can you give me a timeline?” Noah asks. Violet nods, and piecing together what she heard from Jackson and the other cops, she has a good idea of a lie that works.

“He was late to see me, when he is late, I figure it’s because his dad holds him up, he did that sometimes, but I know his dad is a bit… was a bit, difficult. He didn’t like to talk about it, so I didn’t ask, but he turned up, upset, he said he got into a fight with his dad and that he didn’t want to go home,” Violet says. She gives him exact times and places, she gives him enough to mean logic dictates he couldn’t have committed the crime, and obscure enough places no CCTV or anything could place her for lying about it. Then he asks her the important question.

“And you’re willing to contest to that?” he asks. Violet nods. “Okay, well it fits with the report Jackson gave.”

“Jackson is a dick, and I can contest to that too if needed,” Violet says.

“Violet you got yourself caught up in something here, you need to be more careful,” Noah says.

“Careful that my secret boyfriends’ parents don’t get murdered?” Violet asks. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

“I’m sorry, I know you must be struggling with it all,” Noah says.

“I am worried about Isaac, can I please see him?”

“We have to check the story first,” Noah says.

“He won’t be honest with you, he is trying to protect me,” Violet says. Noah pauses, thinking.

“Okay,” he says, getting out of his seat, “but only if I stay with you.”

“That’s fine,” Violet says.

Mr. Stilinski leads her through the station and she glimpses Scott and Stiles in the waiting room, and she doesn’t even look at them. “I got this,” she whispers, hoping Scott can hear her. But she catches a glimpse of Derek Hale as she is ushered into another room. “Really, you trust me that little you have a plan B?”

“This way,” Noah says and takes her through. Violet glances at the time, she has an hour, maybe, before things get bad, she needs to convince them to let him go and fast.

“Isaac,” Violet says, and he looks up to see her. He looks confused.

“Violet?” he asks.

“Hey,” she approaches quickly, placing a hand on the glass. “You don’t have to lie for me anymore, okay?”

“What?” Isaac asks, confused.

“I told them everything, I told them that you were with me, I don’t care what mum says, I don’t care what Scott says, I am not letting you cover for me and be stuck in here, just tell them the truth Isaac,” Violet says, loudly for Noah. Then she drops her voice to a whisper. “Just tell them you came straight to see me, we had a date planned, but we couldn’t tell anyone because of my family, because I am still relatively grounded. Tell them you and I spent the evening talking, and hanging out in the woods, we stopped by the third sector seven-eleven, the cameras don’t work at that one, we got some snacks and I kept you company. We camped out, and you went straight to school.”

“Violet, why are you doing this?” he asks, loud enough for Noah to hear.

“Because I can’t stand by and let you be stuck here for me, you are still trying to protect me even when it is hurting you,” Violet says. “Dumb things you do for love? Huh?” That’s the line that sells it and she is sure of it, because it doesn’t take long once Isaac tells them what she told him too for them to start the paperwork and let him go. She even talks Noah into letting them use the side door, because Scott is in the reception and she doesn’t want conflict.

“I understand Violet, but if you just are honest with Melissa, she will understand and as for Scott, he will always be an overprotective big brother, but if he sees your happy, he will be happy for you,” Noah says before letting them go with another officer to see them out.

“I am supposed to release you into the custody of a guardian” the officer says, looking at the two of them. “A parent?”

“I don’t have any of those left,” Isaac says. The officer goes to call in through the radio for advice when she is struck in the neck with a tranquilizer dart by someone Violet can only assume is a hunter, likely an Argent. “What do we do now?” Isaac asks. Violet looks at the sky, the way the moon is rising.

“We run,” Violet suggests. “We just fucking run.”


	19. I Don't Believe You

Isaac practically drags her through the woods, forgetting his new speed. “Sorry,” he says for the sixth time.

“It’s the full moon,” Violet explains, stopping for breath. “Things get out of control, really fast, it’s coming quickly.”

“You don’t want to be here for that,” Isaac says.

“Cute, you think I am leaving you alone in these woods with hunters on your back, not a chance Lahey,” Violet says. He looks at her, as she leans on a tree, he can hear her heart racing, he can’t tell if it’s the running or the fear, or something else. Probably a mix of them all.

“Why did you do that?” Isaac asks. “Come to my rescue back there?”

“You didn’t kill your dad,” Violet says. “They wouldn’t believe that, not easily, I couldn’t have you locked up overnight, not on a full moon, especially not your first full moon.”

“Why do you care what happens to me?” Isaac asks. Violet manages a smile.

“We are friends, aren’t we?” she asks.

“Friends,” he says, “are we?”

“I was hoping,” Violet says, honestly. “No one else really appreciates Venom or Riddler, I don’t know who I would talk to about the important things.”

“You’re mocking me now,” Isaac says.

“Not at all,” Violet says, tone dead serious. “I said I wanted to protect you and I mean it.”

“You told the police I was your boyfriend,” Isaac says.

“I’ve said worse lies,” Violet admits. “It got you out.”

“You used the word love,” Isaac says.

“It had to be convincing, I know the Sheriff very well, he practically raised me, so I know what I need to say to get him to listen, and I did, and you’re safer out here, than in a cage where the hunters could’ve got you.”

“But now you’re stuck in the woods with a werewolf,” Isaac points out.

“Got about twenty minutes, maybe less before I need to really worry about that, so we should probably keep moving.”

Derek knocks the last of the hunter’s unconscious and against a wall, Stiles is checking around to see where all the actual police are, all sedated mostly. But he can’t see his dad. He went for a coffee run just after having Isaac off to the other guard. Stiles looks outside to see him approaching. “We need to get gone,” Stiles says. Derek yanks the wiring for the security cameras out of the machine, corrupting anything it might have recorded in the reception area.

“Where did they go?” Scott asks coming in from another room. “Violet and Isaac, they are just gone.”

“Violet probably saw the mess and took him with her,” Stiles says, “she is like that.”

“So, she is with Isaac, right now?” Scott asks. “I can feel it, I feel like I’m drowning in it, and I have done this before.”

Derek looks through the side door, and catches the scent for a moment. “I think I knew where they went,” he points to the woods. “Split up, track them, if you find him, you howl.”

“I barely know how to do that,” Scott says.

“Your sister is the one who is in danger right now,” Derek points out, “so you figure it out.”

Derek runs off into the woods and Scott heads in a different direction. “Stay in the car Stiles,” Scott tells him before rushing off.

“Sure, stay in the car Stiles, that makes sense,” Stiles mumbles. “It’s not like I could help,” he pulls his aluminum bat from under the car seat and like Scott and Derek, he walks into the woods.

Violet can see it, Isaac’s eyes changing as the moon starts to affect him more and more. “From what I understand Isaac, is you need to find something to focus on,” Violet says.

“Please,” he growls, “don’t try and explain it.”

“I need to get you to Derek, or Scott,” Violet whispers.

“Why are you here Violet?” he asks, he sounds almost mad now, and she knows it’s the full moon, she remembers Scott and all he said to Stiles about Lydia. She knows what the full moon can do to a person and she doesn’t want to hold that against him. It isn’t his fault.

“Because I actually care what happens to you, believe it or not,” Violet says.

“You’re sticking with that story?” he asks.

“I certainly am, it’s the truth,” Violet says.

“I don’t believe you,” he says.

“You don’t have to, and I don’t expect you to, with everything,” Violet says, “but if you listen to my heartbeat, like I know you are, you can hear I am not lying, and I am not scared either.”

“You should be,” Isaac says, and he looks worried.

“Isaac don’t,” Violet says, seeing what he is about to do. “Isaac-,” he disappears, in almost a blur, he just runs. “Fucking, idiot, Violet,” Violet mutters as she tries to run after him. “One job, don’t lose him, one fucking job.”

She turns a corner and walks straight into Stiles, catching his bat in one hand as he holds it out in front of him. “Violet?”

“What are you doing?” Violet asks.

“What are you doing?” Stiles says back.

“I was trying to help,” Violet says.

“You ran off into the woods with a turned wolf, you didn’t see Scott his first full moon, but I did, you think the bite doesn’t change a person because of how Scott is, but the full moon, before they learn control is different, the full moon really changes them, they don’t even recognize themselves Violet, this is dangerous, this is borderline suicidal,” Stiles warns her.

“And you think a bat is going to protect you?” Violet asks.

“More so than just my attitude,” Stiles says back. “Where is he?”

“Isaac?” Violet asks.

“No, Derek… yes Isaac,” Stiles says. “Who else?”

“He ran off, I was just looking for him,” Violet says, she looks stressed and Stiles gets that. Stiles understands that everyone, maybe even himself included hasn’t really considered just how this might be affecting her. How she is likely finding a way to blame herself for all of it. If she had taken interest in someone else? Would it have been them? Or would it have always been Isaac?

“Why did he run off?” Stiles asks.

“He thought he was a danger to me I guess,” Violet says.

“Violet,” Stiles says slowly, “when Scott turned, he has a very singular mind, we don’t know what is going on in Isaac’s head but if he was with you, right before the full moon took over, I don’t think we need to look for him, I think he will be looking for us.”

“And if he is… you know?”

“Then we are screwed,” Stiles says. “But Scott and Derek are looking for him.”

“And if they find him first?”

“Scott finds Derek or Derek does whatever he thinks he can do that will help him, but they do want to help.”

“Good, because if Derek causes Isaac anymore pain, I am making Derek into a throw rug.”


	20. An Anchor?

Violet and Stiles are walking through the woods and Stiles is jumping at everything. “That one is different,” Violet says tapping the bat.

“It’s the one for the jeep,” Stiles says, causing Violet to roll her eyes.

“Is this the butter knives in the tree house again?” Violet asks.

“They were kitchen knives,” Stiles says. “You have to be prepared.”

“How many do you have in total?” Violet asks.

“Three wooden and one aluminium,” Stiles says.

“Metal for the car, sure, makes sense,” Violet says.

“One in my locker in the hallway, one in my locker in the changing rooms and one under my bed,” Stiles says.

“A little much,” Violet says, “but sensible.”

“You know, one day this bat might just be the difference between us making it or not and you will owe me an apology for this mockery.”

“It isn’t mockery Stiles, I just have this tone,” Violet says. He looks at her, unsure.

“Does Jade have any idea what you are doing right now?” he asks. She almost winces.

“She knows I was helping Isaac out,” Violet says.

“That’s it?” Stiles asks.

“She is on a need-to-know basis Stiles, she really doesn’t need to know this,” Violet says.

“You’re protecting her with your silence, I get that, I am doing the same, but also, walking out into the woods on a full moon, you’re putting yourself in danger, consider that when you consider what you’re doing to help Jade,” Stiles says.

“Don’t act like you aren’t doing the exact same thing,” Violet warns him, “if something happened to you, that would hurt her too.” There is a sound from the side and Violet twists on her heels to face the direction it came from.

“Scott?” Stiles asks. They both can hear it, the low growling. “Not Scott.”

“What does Scott do, to keep himself… himself?” Violet asks. “That thing you were telling me about the other week, like page seventeen in my book. Like a focus?”

“An anchor?” Stiles asks.

“What does that do exactly?” Violet asks.

“It’s something that keeps you human,” Stiles says.

“I know, but how?” Violet asks. “And how do you find one?”

“I don’t know Isaac well enough, neither do you, it is something he has to figure out himself,” Stiles says. Violet looks frustrated now, trying to keep an eye out for anything that could be a wolf in the dark. The sounds growing louder as they talk.

“Okay,” Violet says, “what did you do before Scott had an anchor?”

“I mostly just chained him up,” Stiles says.

“Not helpful,” Violet says.

“Especially for Isaac, that will probably make it worse,” Stiles says. Violet looks puzzled. “I don’t have the time to explain that you right now, and maybe you should…let Isaac tell you.”

“Tell me what?” Violet asks, and then she spots him, in the trees. She knows it is him even if he doesn’t look like himself. “Okay, I need you to think Stiles, was there anything else?”

“Sometimes, distractions,” Stiles says, holding the bat out.

“Distractions?” Violet asks.

“Danger, loud sounds, disruptive things,” Stiles says. “He nearly got hit by a car one time, that did it.”

“Not helpful in this situation,” Violet says. She is looking directly at Isaac, trying to keep eye contact, because he looks more scared than scary in the dark. She knows it’s the wolf behaviour, she knows a lot about wolves and how they hunt. She knows she should be scared of him.

“I don’t exactly have an idea for distractions,” Stiles says. Violet takes a step back and Isaac takes one forward.

“It’s like he doesn’t even see you,” Violet says.

“I don’t know if you should sound relieved by that,” Stiles says.

“I’m curious, most of all,” Violet says. She hears something, in the distance, a howling. “Scott?”

“Or Derek,” Stiles says. Isaac looks away towards the sound and then back at her. “Definitely Scott, you don’t ignore an alpha.” Isaac starts to approach her more, slower. “Violet I don’t think you’re very safe right now.”

“I agree, but I don’t think we have many solutions right now,” Violet says. Stiles moves and Violet glares at him. “Don’t try anything stupid.”

“It’s all the ideas I have,” he says and swings the bat. Isaac, despite the claws catches the bat and quickly throws it back, growling. “Okay that was very stupid.” He goes for the bat, trying to keep an eye on the two of them.

“Took the words out of my mouth Stilinski,” Violet says.

“I’m here to protect you,” Stiles tells her.

“I wouldn’t worry about that,” Violet says, “I can protect myself.”

“It’s a fucking werewolf,” Stiles reminds her.

“No, it’s Isaac,” Violet says softly. There is another howl and she recognizes it as the same as before. Isaac moves quicker approaching her. She finds herself leaning on the tree trunk. “Isaac?” she asks. He looks at her, and she can barely recognize his eyes as the same. She knows why. “Wolves are violent or patient, how can someone so filled with rage be so patient?” Violet asks. He moves quickly reaching for her and with his claws, either by accident or by instinct he tears through the back of her jacket, and lights scratches the skin.

“Violet,” Stiles says picking up the bat. The howl is there again and the calmness fades from Isaac’s eyes, the anger of the wolf taking back over.

“Distraction, I guess no harm in trying,” Violet says and kisses Isaac. Even the wolf wasn’t quite prepared for her to do that, it clicks something in him, something human, and his claws retract slightly, not threatening her harm anymore, not that it was what she believed he wanted to do anyway.

Derek comes from the tree line and violet is quick to move away, move in the moment, giving Derek space to do whatever it was he planned to do. He looks at Violet, who looks, oddly fine, and at Stiles, who is still scrambling for his bat. And he growls, his eyes that bright red and the rest of the wolf in Isaac recedes back, disappearing inside him, despite the moon. He cowers from Derek and all of a sudden, he is himself again.

Scott turns the corner to join them. “You found him,” Scott says.

“Just in time, he might have torn these two to pieces,” Derek says.

“I’m sorry,” Isaac says. Scott looks at him, but Isaac is looking at Violet, who just shrugs it off and then winces.

“You don’t owe me an apology,” Violet says.

“He could’ve killed you,” Stiles says.

“He didn’t, he wasn’t going to,” Violet says.

“You don’t understand the effects of a full moon,” Derek says.

“He was calm, he was-,”

“Stalking,” Derek says, “it’s what they call it when it’s wolves.”

“You should take him, with the station the way it is, it’s going to look like he ran, he is basically a fugitive now, like you were,” Scott says, going to stand with Violet.

“Don’t try,” Violet warns him. Derek helps Isaac off the floor.

“I’ll take him somewhere safe,” Derek says, eyes more on Violet than on Scott.

“You call that place safe?” Violet asks. Derek says nothing else and starts to walk into the woods. Isaac looks back at her one more time and she isn’t sure if he even remembers what just happened. She is just amazed it worked.

“You’re bleeding,” Scott says as she walks in the front door. 

“I’m fine,” Violet says.

“You aren’t fine,” Scott says. “This is exactly why I don’t think you should be around him.”

“It’s Isaac, Scott,” Violet says.

“You have hung out like twice,” Scott says, “I only say it because I am looking out for you. So please just listen to me.”

“Like you did, with me about Allison?” Violet asks.

“You barely know him,” Scott says.

“What if I really like him Scott?” Violet asks. “Because it matters more then? Or only when it’s you?”

“You. Barely. Know. Him.”

“And you know what Scott?” Violet asks. “I am fucking going to get to know him, no matter what you have to say.”

“Violet,” Scott says, “look at your jacket, think about what happened tonight, and tell me that you think it’s a good idea.”

“Scott, you can play your role of big brother all you want, you can tell me you are worried, you can voice your concerns, but you cannot tell me that I cannot see someone-,”

“You aren’t seeing him… are you?” Scott asks. Violet scoffs, mad now.

“I thought we were finally, finally getting good at this,” Violet says. “It doesn’t matter if I am sleeping with him Scott because you still don’t get to have a say in the matter.”

“Violet.”

“No, just… no.”

Violet is tossing and turning, the scratch barely even broke the surface of her skin but it ruined her jacket, and it scratched up her top a bit too. Her top Jade can fix… her jacket not so much. Violet threw it into the bottom of her cupboard and placed her top in her bag. She can see it from where she lays in bed. She pulls the dumb plasters off and stands in the dark to look at the scratches in the mirror. They are nothing at all, barely even there, she has had worse from make out sessions. They will heal in a few days and Scott had no right to go off like he did about it. Her phone night up and she picks it up, it’s Stiles.

“What do you want at this ungodly hour Stilinski?” Violet asks.

“I didn’t tell Scott,” Stiles says.

“About what?” Violet asks.

“What happened with Isaac,” Stiles says, “I also didn’t tell him the real reason I was defending your right to see him. I do believe you can handle yourself, but I also know telling you to stay away form a boy you like isn’t any use. And don’t try and argue you don’t like him. I saw you today. I see you around him. I am not an idiot.”

“Well, it doesn’t matter, Scott is going to try and mess things up at every moment, he is acting like he is the only person who can make choices,” Violet says. “I wasn’t scared today.”

“The only time I saw you look scared was after you kissed him,” Stiles admits.

“That wasn’t- as far as first kisses go, that doesn’t count,” Violet says.

“Not romantic enough for you?” Stiles asks. She can tell that he can’t sleep either and that he wants to make sure she is okay. She appreciates that.

“I don’t even know if he remembers it, I don’t know why it worked, you’d think the boy had never been kissed before,” Violet laughs.

“Maybe he just likes you,” Stiles says.

“Yeah, sure he does. You should have seen his face when I told your dad he was my boyfriend, he looked mortified.”

“Maybe shocked?”

“Mortified I tell you, poor guy.”

“You doing okay?”

“It’s barely a scratch Stiles,” Violet says, “and I will get Jade to fix the top.”

“I meant emotionally, I know your skin is thicker than leather, but your… emotional skin is less predictable.”

“My emotional skin?”

“Yes, I standby that.”

“You need to go to bed Stiles Stilinski.”

“And you need to get your head assessed because what you did today,” Stiles laughs, “you’re insane.”

“Tell me you wouldn’t have done the same for someone you… cared about what happened to?”

Stiles pauses and Violet wonders if he is thinking about Lydia, or about Jade. “Okay, fair enough, I would’ve done the same.” Jade, she decides, he was thinking about Jade.


	21. I Can Try

“I just, I disagree,” Scott says. Jade pokes him with a pen.

“You would say that,” Jade says. Violet is looking at Stiles, who is looking at the two them.

_“I am not an idiot, I see the way she looks at him.”_

_“What about the way he looks at her?”_

_“He would be… beyond his level of stupidity to not look at her like that, that doesn’t surprise me.”_

_“But you are surprised by the way you think Jade looks at Scott?”_

_“I love how you think you can say ‘the way you think’ and pretend we are having a hypothetical situation.”_

_“We are.”_

_“Sure we are.”_

_“Stiles, you should really go to bed.”_

_“And if you don’t like Isaac that much you should really give him his jersey back.”_

_“Uncalled for.”_

_“Sorry, I am tired.”_

_“Go to sleep Stilinski, I’ll see you at school.”_

_“Vi?”_

_“Yeah, Mischief?” There is a silence on Stiles’ end of the line._

_“Never mind. Goodnight.”_

_“Goodnight.”_

“So, are you partaking in gym today?” Stiles asks Violet.

“A climbing wall, you bet your ass I am,” Violet says. “If for no other reason than to show him up.”

“Competitive much?” Jade asks.

“Sibling rivalry, it’s guaranteed,” Violet says. She isn’t looking at Scott, not even in glances, she is so angry each time she sees his face that it is best she just doesn’t look at him. She knows he wants to help Isaac, she doesn’t doubt that, her problem lies with him thinking she shouldn’t be involved. In him thinking he can tell her what to do, and she will just obey.

“So, I guess I’ll see you two in gym,” Jade says, grabbing a handful of Violet’s shirt to remind her to move. Violet grabs her bag and smiles at Stiles as she leaves. He doesn’t look too tired considering they stayed up so late talking. She hadn’t realised how much she had missed Stiles, not really, not until last night.

“McCall, and McCall,” Coach says gesturing to the wall. Violet nods with an eager smile at Coach. “You got this?”

“I got this,” she says. Scott climbs beside her, battling with the instinct to hide his new abilities and the instinct to beat his sister at this. “You don’t have to go easy with me.”

“I wasn’t,” Scott says. “But since you’re talking to me again-,”

“I am not,” Violet says, “I am talking at you, not the same thing.”

“Violet I don’t understand,” Scott says as Violet starts to overtake him. “It’s one guy-,”

Violet kicks the next grip Scott reaches for and he falls back, off the wall, and to the below. Coach laughs, walking over to him. “For some reason McCall, your pain brings me a very specific kind of joy,” he tells Scott. Violet reaches the top and then jumps back down.

“It’s because it’s oddly rewarding to see him fail,” Violet tells Coach.

“I like her,” Coach says with a smile, “remind me why I don’t see you in these classes?”

“I don’t do team sports,” Violet says simply, unclipping herself. Jade is looking at her, arms crossed, a little unimpressed but Violet still thinks it was worth it.

“You had to pick a fight?” Jade whispers.

“Technically Scott picked the fight,” Violet says, “I just ended it.”

“What a little Aristocat, you are” Jade says.

“Sure, just call me Marie,” Violet says sticking out her tongue.

“Mature,” Jade says, but she is smiling, so Violet knows she isn’t really mad at her. She is trying to be nice around Scott, for Jade’s sake, she can’t explain a lot of what is going on, so she can’t excuse her actions to Jade and she doesn’t want to bring Jade into it, or the fighting, so it is how it has to be. “Now are we going to talk about the Isaac thing?” Jade whispers.

“The Isaac thing?” Violet asks, trying to play dumb.

“The Isaac is considered a fugitive thing, I know you like the idea of a bad boy but come on,” Jade is trying to be jovial and Violet appreciates that. But she doesn’t want to talk about Isaac.

“Isaac is complicated,” Violet says.

“No kidding,” Jade says.

“I can’t talk about it,” Violet says, “I went to the station, I gave a statement, and now he is missing from police custody, they don’t know how it happened or where he went, or if someone took him. I am trying not to think about him, because every time I do, I hurt, physically.” Jade puts an arm around her, sad that here in gym she can’t just pull a flask from her pocket.

“Okay,” Jade says softly, “we won’t talk about him unless you want to.”

“He didn’t do it Jade, I need you to believe that, I know it looks bad because… they think he ran, but he didn’t do it,” Violet says.

“I believe you, not only because it’s you, but I never got any bad feelings when it came to Isaac, and we both know, I am always right.”

“Always,” Violet laughs. “

“Erica,” Coach says grabbing both Violet and Jade’s attention.

“Maybe not Coach,” Violet says, stepping forward. Erica looks at them both.

“No,” she says, “it’s okay. I want to take part.”

“Erica you don’t like heights,” Jade reminds her softly.

“I can try,” Erica says, trying to convince them with a smile. Jade and Violet share a look.

“I don’t like the idea but I am not going to stop you if Coach won’t,” Violet says.

“The school knows my condition,” Erica reminds them heading for the wall.

“But does Coach?” Jade asks Violet. Violet looks towards Coach who is barely paying attention.

“I am not sure Coach knows a lot,” Violet admits.

“I am going to have a word with him,” Jade says, walking over. Violet watches Jade trying to explain the situation, and the way Coach looks surprised and then concerned and when Erica barely makes it a third of the wall without freezing Coach is quick to get her down. Erica, startled by the height and the whole situation isn’t happy about it.

“I wanted to try,” Erica says.

“Hey, I know,” Jade says. “But there are things better to try than boring gym lessons, come on, come with me, we will go have a cup of tea, wait for everyone to finish up.”

“Coach, we are leaving,” Violet tells him. He looks at the three of them.

“Does she need the nurse?” he asks. Violet shakes her head.

“Just the heights, nothing to worry about, she will be fine,” Violet reassures him as Jade and her lead Erica away from the gym.

“I could have done it,” Erica says again, sipping the cup of tea Jade has provided for her.

“You probably could have, but you don’t have to prove anything,” Violet reminds her.

“You don’t owe anyone anything,” Jade tells her.

“I wanted to prove it to myself,” Erica says. Jade and Violet share a look, it’s the most dangerous feeling they both know, the desire to do something, just so they know that they can.

“Tomorrow?” Stiles reminds Scott.

“I’m still up for it, but Violet isn’t talking to me,” Scott reminds him.

“I know, but you said you wanted to do something nice for Violet and Jade, this is something nice, maybe it will get you back on her good side, she loves surprises,” Stiles says.

“She hates surprises,” Scott says.

“No, she hates your surprises, she always loves my surprises,” Stiles says.

“Should I be worried when you talk about her like that?” Scott asks.

“Scott, your sister is literally the last person I would be trying to sleep with,” Stiles says, tired of explaining this to people. Almost as tired of explaining it as Violet is. “And it would be nice for Jade, she has been working so much and she just, could do with a nice evening.”

“I know, it was my idea,” Scott reminds him.

“I also have another piece of advice on Violet if you want to listen to me,” Stiles says.

“Okay,” Scott says.

“Lay off about you-know-who,” Stiles says. Scott rolls his eyes.

“You know I can’t do that,” Scott says.

“You want to protect him, why can’t you accept she wants the same?” Stiles asks.

“Violet doesn’t really do, greater good,” Scott says, “she doesn’t want to be a hero, she protects people she cares about-,”

“Exactly,” Stiles says.

“So, she is just doing this to get on my nerves,” Scott says. Stiles hits his head on the locker door.

“Just when I think you couldn’t get more stupid when it comes to your sister, you say shit like that,” Stiles says, “I don’t know if I can even help you.” Scott hears something, something that worries him. “Scott are you even listening to me? I am trying to help you.”

“Erica.”


	22. Wow, Wow, Let's Not

Scott is there to catch Erica just as she falls. And it isn’t long before a crowd of people start to gather, amongst them Jade and Violet, who heard a commotion and started to worry that maybe, just maybe, Erica lied about where she was going.

“Bloody hell Erica,” Violet says, checking in on her.

“Coach has called the doctor,” Scott reassures Jade, who is scrambling in her bag for anything that could help. “They will be here soon.”

“Erica, you didn’t have to do that,” Violet says softly, checking for all the usual things.

When the doctors arrive to take her for a checkup, Violet doesn’t let go of her hand. “We are coming with you,” Violet tells Erica.

“I cannot allow that,” the doctor tells her.

“I’d like to see you try and stop me,” Violet says.

“Please,” Jade says, “she is our friend and we are concerned for her.”

“I understand that, but we cannot allow it, unless you’re a family member we cannot simply take children from school to the hospital with their friends,” the doctor states plainly.

“I’m Violet, Violet McCall, you might know my mother, you work with her, that is who you’re taking her too? Isn’t it?” Violet asks. The doctor pauses.

“I’ll be seeing your mum, same as always,” Erica says, “I’ll be alright, please don’t cause a fuss.”

“Erica,” Violet says, ready to argue with the doctors. Erica looks at Jade and smiles faintly.

“Please don’t let her cause a fuss Jade,” Erica says, “it’s already too much of thing.” Erica looks over at the closed doors where Coach has made everyone leave but they just stand outside, trying to observe. Jade wants to go with her, just as much as Violet does, but Jade knows stressing Erica out and fighting with doctors isn’t the right thing to do.

“Come on,” Jade says, taking Violet’s hand. “We will check up on her later, let the doctors do their jobs.”

“I am not sure I trust them,” Violet says. Jade rolls her eyes.

“You barely trust anyone, come on, they’ve helped Erica so far, we can see her in a few hours,” Jade hates arguing this side, because if she had her way she would climb in the back of the ambulance with Erica, but she knows Erica doesn’t need the fuss of that, so she has to fight against her interests and pull Violet away from making a problem.

Violet watches the clock and she is trying not to, she knows it puts Jade on edge and the last thing she ever wants to do is put Jade on edge. Jade deserves to feel calm, and if she can give that to her, it is all she wants to do, but she also knows that there’s a little in her chaos that is good for Jade, if Jade is worrying about whatever dumb thing Violet will do next, it stops her thinking about other things, things she can’t fix or change. Violet is a constant project and a best friend in one, a chaotic convenience at the least, and a soulmate at best.

“You don’t have a shift tomorrow night, to do you?” Stiles asks, bringing Violet’s mind back to the present.

“No,” Jade confirms, “why though, both you and Scott are acting weird.”

“Not acting weird,” Stiles says trying to shrug it off, but nearly falling off his chair. “I am acting completely,” he catches the table to stop himself falling back, “normal.”

“Normal for you,” Violet says. She glares at him. “I don’t know what you’ve got cooking Stilinski but I would have you remind my brother that forgiveness is not bought.”

“Did Scott eat the last of the ice cream again?” Jade asks.

“Something like that,” Violet says.

“Oh, did he comment on your outfit?” Jade asks. “I will have words with him, you being his sister or not, it is just exhausting and outdated. Even if he thinks he is trying to help you.”

“I wish he would stop trying to help me,” Violet says. “I’d appreciate that more.”

“You had to ruin it for me, didn’t you, like you ruin everything,” Jackson’s voice comes through the wall and all three of them hear it.

“Is that?” Jade asks as Violet is already halfway out the door.

“Oh no,” Stiles says, as both him and Jade move to follow her.

“She might actually kill him today,” Jade agrees.

“You step the fuck back Jackson, you have no idea what you are talking about,” Violet snaps standing between him a startled and cornered Lydia. “And you have absolutely no fucking right to accuse her of anything. You have some messed up idea of what you know and what you think you know, but you lost all the rights to speak to her weeks ago.”

“You think you scare me McCall? Doe? I wonder what your name is really,” Jackson says.

“At least I don’t care about it, unlike some of us,” Violet growls.

“Violet, he isn’t worth it,” Lydia says.

“Wow, wow, let’s not,” Stiles says slipping between the two of them. “Jackson, you don’t want to be seen in this situation.”

“Picking on a girl? I think everyone understands Violet can pick her own fights, and Lydia-,”

“I think he is more concerned about your reputation when you get floored by a girl for the third time,” Jade warns him.

“You got one good hit Jade,” Jackson says, “because I wasn’t expecting it, it won’t happen again.”

“And what about me, what’s you’re excuse for that?” Violet asks.

“Are you really threatening me Violet, you know who I am, you know how stupid that would be,” Jackson says.

“You don’t scare me Jackson Whittemore, but if you come near Lydia again, with even a hint of the tone I heard you talking to her in, you will be scared of me, that is a fucking promise,” Violet warns him.

“Everything alright here?” asks a teacher. Lydia smiles, pushing her hair out of her face.

“Not a problem at all,” Stiles says, quickly.

“Maybe don’t loiter,” the teacher says.

“We were just heading off, weren’t you, Jackson?” Violet asks. Jackson sighs and pushes past Stiles as he leaves.

“You okay?” Jade asks Lydia, who brushes it off like it was nothing.

“Jackson is just regretting his choice and making them everyone else’s problem,” Lydia says.

“I am sure you are right,” Jade agrees.

“Yeah…” Violet says, watching Jackson disappear down the corridor.

“Yeah, as in ‘I believe that and I am not going to start another fight with him and get myself in trouble?’ Because that is the kind of ‘yeah’ I need from you right now,” Stiles says, eyeing her.

“Yeah, as in ‘he is a jackass who can bite me, but I won’t start a fight for Jade’s sake’ kind of ‘yeah’ don’t worry about me,” Violet says. Lydia is staring into the crowds of people and Violet isn’t sure what she sees but she is fixated on it, but when she follows her gaze, there is no one there. “Lydia?”

“I’m fine,” Lydia insists. “Now come on before someone less forgiving like Mr. Harris finds us.”

Violet finds Melissa pretty quickly while Jade is talking to another doctor. “Erica,” is the first word that comes out of Violet’s mouth. Normally something like that would be met with some kind of quick remark from Melissa, but she understands Violet’s concern.

“She’s okay, I have seen her,” Melissa says.

“Can I see her?” Violet asks. Melissa points down the hall. Violet looks back at Jade, but Jade is still talking to the doctor so she just walks down the hall to the room. “Erica?” She looks around and Erica is nowhere to be seen. Violet pulls out her phone and calls her.

“I’m okay Violet, no need to come to the hospital,” Erica says.

“Well, we are here, where are you?” Violet asks, noticing the scratch marks in the hospital bed.

“…Home,” she says.

“Why do you sound like you’re lying,” Violet asks.

“Vee, I have to go, okay, speak later.” Erica hangs up.

Jade comes to meet Violet and looks just as lost. “Erica went home, she says she is doing fine and but doesn’t want any visitors,” Violet says. Jade looks disappointed.

“I guess, if that’s what she needs.”


	23. Talking To Myself

Jade and Stiles are sat at the dining table, looking over notes, Scott is sat with them but is paying much less attention to the actual studying going on. Whereas Violet, bothered by Erica’s behaviour and the increasingly worrying implications of it, is trying to watch something to calm down.

Stiles leans over Jade’s shoulder, looking at the colourful nature of her notes. “What you got there,” he asks, pointing to the colour coded sticky tabs.

“Colour organization, from most to least important in pastel and most to least understood in neon,” Jade says. Stiles looks at her and he could kiss her, with that sentence alone, he could kiss her and the realization hits him like a bat to the head… and the chest.

“Did,” Stiles turns to look at the clock, “did you need a lift to work?” Jade looks up.

“Shit,” she says, starting to put her books away, “yes, please.”

“Vi, you coming?” Stiles asks. Violet shakes her head.

“I think I can trust you to take my girl to work,” Violet says, “but have her home by midnight.”

“I know you’re kidding, but still, do not Cinderella me right now,” Jade says with a smile. “See you tomorrow?”

“Bright and early for school,” Violet says.

“Bright and early.”

Violet moves up to her room after the two of them leave, not wanting to be alone with Scott, the silence deafening. Violet checks her texts and she has two from Allison, one a photo of a bow and arrow, military grade.

_Shoot anything this cool? – A_

Violet smiles to herself. Allison is being trained by a family of hunters to hunt and kill people like her brother, and yet Allison is still Allison.

_I wish, I have to borrow it sometime, show me how good your game really is. I was English taught, remember that. – V_

Violet loads up her laptop for a while, but doesn’t really do anything, her head is spinning too much to study. She is worried about Erica, and she has no real reason to be… except it is Beacon Hills and the last time she ignored one of these feelings Isaac ended up being locked in a cell. She hasn’t got whatever it is that Jade has that just lets her know what people to go near and what people to avoid. She doesn’t have Jade’s talent for people and situations, and just knowing when to not get involved. If she did her life would have gone very differently. But she does have a bad feeling.

“Maybe it’s guilt,” she tells herself leaning back from her chair onto her bed. She looks at her phone which is at one-hundred percent but is still plugged in by her desk lamp. “You could just call her?” Violet reaches for her phone. “She didn’t want to talk to you earlier, what would be different now? And it’s late,” Violet sighs and hits herself in the head with her phone. “And now you are talking to yourself, like a crazy person, what is wrong with you McCall?” She screams into her hands. “Call her, just… do it.” She pulls up Erica’s number, raking a hand through her hair as her leg taps repeatedly on the backrest of her desk chair. “It’s Erica, why are you being so childish?” She presses call and listens as it rings out, and goes to answerphone. “I tried.”

She kicks her chair back under the desk and crawls under her duvet, fully clothed and makeup still on, she isn’t intending on sleeping even if that’s what she tells herself. She reaches for her book and she just looks at the words on the page, none of them actually sticking in her mind. She reads the same sentence over and over again and then she throws the book at the wall in frustration and it lands on the floor with a loud thud. “I’m sorry,” Violet says to the book as she picks it up, making sure the edges aren’t creased. “It isn’t your fault.”

_“I worry about you sometimes,” Jade says, wrapping up Violet’s knuckles in bandages._

_“He deserved it,” Violet says._

_“You don’t have to pick a fight with everyone who deserves to be hit,” Jade says._

_“How else will they learn?”_

_“Will you learn, I can’t be there every minute to hold you back.”_

_“You’re always here to clean me up though,” Violet smiles._

_“Don’t get cute with me,” Jade warns, “I worry about you.”_

_“I promise I’ll behave.”_

_“No more fights you can’t handle.”_

_“I can’t promise that.”_

“Why are you so destructive?” Violet asks herself, putting the book back on the side table. “It’s a damn good thing it was Scott who got the bite, you’d be a mess, a violent, bloody mess, you’d put the ‘n’ in your name for sure… and I am talking to myself again.” Violet wants to scream. She doesn’t know how to fix it. She can’t talk to Jade about Isaac, not in a way that would be helpful in this situation. She can’t talk to Scott even though it makes the most sense, because Scott has decided that this is the hill he will die on. And every time she talks to Stiles, she then leaves the conversation feeling all kinds of guilty, because of Jade and because of Scott and all the things she cannot say, and all the things she cannot admit herself, like the reason Isaac’s jersey still sits in the bottom of her wardrobe.

She has her phone in her hand and she is tapping her nails repeatedly on the case, trying to think of something, anything that will stop her pacing. She hasn’t even realised she has pulled up Isaac’s number until she is calling it. It stops after two rings. “Oh,” Violet says, “really?” Violet kicks herself for caring. “Why wouldn’t you dodge my calls? I am such a fucking idiot-,”

“Can we talk?” Scott asks from the doorway.

“Can you knock?” Violet asks.

“Violet, I am sorry that I have made you so mad at me, I didn’t mean to,” Scott says.

“You have a tendency for that,” Violet says.

“I am just looking out for you, I don’t want to see you hurt,” Scott says.

“I know,” Violet says, “and I appreciate that. I just don’t think you quite understand how it works Scott.”

“How what works?”

“Looking out for me,” Violet says, “Jade does it too, but she doesn’t try and tell me that I can’t hang out with one of the few people I have got along with since I got back.”

“Look, I know you are worried about Isaac, but I promise you, I will try to help him, I will try to reach him,” Scott says.

“I am sure you will,” Violet says.

“So, you understand why you have to stay out of it?” Scott asks.

“You are fucking kidding me, right?” Violet asks.

“I am asking this one thing,” Scott says, “stay away from the boy who could get you killed.”

“And I asked you the exact same thing weeks ago and you told me you couldn’t do that,” Violet snaps.

“I was in love,” Scott says.

“Was?” Violet asks. Scott pauses but she doesn’t let him finish the trail of thought. “So, love matters more than friendship?”

“Don’t try that with me Violet, I don’t want to fight,” Scott says.

“Goodnight Scott.”

“Violet?”

“Goodnight Scott,” she says closing the door in his face. She can’t just tell him, not being honest, because then she would have to be honest that she has a crush on Isaac, or maybe more and that is too terrifying, especially after Isaac’s reaction to her.

Violet looks at the window. “Don’t do it,” Violet tells herself but she is already packing a bag. “Don’t do it,” she says again as she unlatches the window. “Oh, you fucking idiot,” she says as she climbs out, “you’re going to regret this one.”

She knocks on the door of the Hale house and just hopes. There is silence. No movement. Not the slightest indication anyone is there or even nearby. The whole woods seems silent. “Derek Hale open this door, don’t make me walk in,” Violet says, “you know I will.”

The door opens and Derek stands there, arm across the doorway, preventing her from just walking past him. “What, the hell, do you want?” he asks.

“I brought homework,” Violet says.

“What are you doing here?” Derek asks.

“I am here to see Isaac,” Violet says.

“I really don’t think that is a good idea,” Derek says.

“Come on, please?” Violet tries. Derek just looks at her. “Let me in Derek.”

Something shifts in the light behind Derek and she sees Isaac on the staircase. “Violet?” he asks.

“Hey there,” Violet says.

“What are you doing here, it’s late, did you walk?” Isaac asks.

“I grew up in Beacon Hills remember, the woods don’t scare me,” Violet says. “As for why I am here,” she pulls a few bits of paper from her bag and waves it in front of Derek, “I figure you wouldn’t be a fugitive forever, and I guess, you probably don’t want to fall too far behind, if Derek will let me in?”

Isaac looks at Derek, who just looks even more annoyed and walks away. Violet smiles like she has won and walks to the stairs. “Can I come up?” Violet asks. Isaac nods and leads her up.

Violet looks around and is surprised at the structural integrity of such a destroyed building. “Cozy,” she says.

“I can’t believe you walked here,” Isaac says.

“I couldn’t sleep,” Violet says, “I wanted to check on you.”

“You are kind of crazy, aren’t you?” Isaac asks, taking the notes. Violet laughs a little, pulling out a notebook.

“You aren’t just a pretty face Isaac Lahey,” Violet smiles, and then looks away. “So, you didn’t really miss much, Coach is mad that because with the game coming up and you being… wanted by the cops and all that isn’t practical for him.”

“Why do you do that?” He asks.

“Do what?” Violet asks.

“Smile like that and then just keep talking?” Isaac asks.

“Smile like what?” Violet asks, genuinely confused.

“Never mind,” Isaac says. “Is this your plan, ignore your brother, ignore logic and just sneak out here and bring me homework?”

Violet looks at him, and she knows she is screwed, because she likes him, against her active choice to try and not be and all the logic that says she shouldn’t let herself be, she just does like him. And now, with his life as it is, she couldn’t ruin it for him, Derek did that. But now she is struck with another issue, that she doesn’t know where she stands and she isn’t sure she wants to know. “And cookies,” she says passing him a box of cookies from her bag. “What are friends for?”


	24. I Won't Ask Again

Stiles sat down for a short while after dropping her off, he had a soda and a cake, letting Jade tell him what would be good at this time of day. It was quiet and he wanted to keep her company, but when the later crowd started to form, he waved a goodbye and left. Not without sitting in the jeep for twenty minutes, waiting to actually drive off. He knows Violet is right and that keeping Jade in the dark is the best idea, but he is seeing what it is doing to Lydia, how it makes her a confused and spiral, and he worries there might be a time that it could do the same to Jade. Lydia doesn’t deserve what is she going through, and he would hate to see anything like that happen to Jade.

“Another coffee for sixteen,” Emily tells Jade gesturing to the table on the far left.

“I don’t deserve sixteen,” Jade says, not looking up from her list.

“He asked for you specifically,” she tells her.

“Why?” Jade asks.

“I don’t know, but he is kind of cute, so I wouldn’t argue it,” Emily says, passing her the coffee. Jade looks at table sixteen and she nearly drops the coffee.

“Not cute Emily,” Jade tells her, “not cute in the slightest.”

She walks over and places the coffee cup down with an attitude, she doesn’t care because he will not tip her anyway, she knows that, and she turns to leave. “I believe I should have sugar and milk with this,” Jackson says, pretending to play nice.

“What do you want Jackson?” Jade asks.

“Sugar and milk,” Jackson says. Jade sighs and goes and collects sugar and milk from the side. He should have sugar on his table by the rest of the add-ons, but for whatever reason it seems Jackson sat himself at the only table that does not have pre-provided sugar. Maybe just to make her job more difficult, that would be a very Jackson thing to do.

“Here,” Jade says handing them to him.

“Don’t I get service with a smile?” he asks.

“Jackson, what do you want? I won’t ask again,” Jade says.

“Well, I would like a smile, or answers, but I am not sure I am getting what I want Jade,” Jackson says. He looks at her, for a while. “You really don’t know a thing, do you?”

“Know what?” Jade asks.

“You think you need to protect Lydia?” Jackson asks. “You don’t know her at all if you think she is the one that needs protecting.”

“Jackson, if you are just here to cause a scene, to attack my friends, I strongly suggest you leave,” Jade says.

“It’s funny, you and Violet turn up, and right around that time my entire life starts to fall apart, kind of feels like that’s connected somehow,” Jackson says.

“Correlation and cause are not the same thing, do you pay any attention in class?” Jade asks.

“I am not getting help from you, am I?” Jackson asks, sighing. He doesn’t touch his coffee, he throws down some cash without even looking at the amount, and he gets his jacket. Jade watches him start to leave and then against her better judgment she says one last thing to him.

“And Jackson, if you think this is your life falling apart, you’re co-captain of the lacrosse team, you broke up with your girlfriend, you… what? Still have a family that loves you, more money than you need and no reason to have any worries about your future? Then maybe you need to reassess your idea of what it looks like to fall apart.”

“Goodnight Jade,” Jackson says and leaves. Jade looks at the money he left.

“Fifty, for four dollars worth of coffee,” Jade should be happy but mostly she is pissed off. “Jackass.”

“You’re back late,” Jean says not looking up from her files.

“I didn’t think you’d still be awake, aren’t you up early in the morning?” Jade asks.

“Yes, but I have to get this done first,” Jean says, “so… why are you late?”

“I had work,” Jade says.

“This late?” Jean asks.

“I stayed to close,” Jade says. Jean nods, but doesn’t say anything else. “Goodnight.”

“Oh Jade, before you go,” Jean says, turning to look at her.

“Yeah?” Jade asks, her voice younger somehow, like she let something out she didn’t mean to.

“I have to go away next weekend, you will be fine by yourself, won’t you?” she asks.

“Yeah,” Jade sighs. “I’ll be fine.”

Jade sits on her bed, having changed from her work clothes and showered and ready to sleep, but even with Jean home, she still feels very alone in the house. Maybe she just feels very alone around her mother, that would be nothing new.

_You get home okay? How was work? – V_

Jade smiles and instead of texting her back, she just calls her. “Hey Vi,” Jade says.

“Hey, Jade, I didn’t know if you would be awake enough to call me, long shift and all,” Violet says, but she sounds strange.

“Are you okay?” Jade asks. “You sound like I startled you?”

“I am all good,” Violet says. “How was work?”

“Long, boring,” Jade says, “a further example of why I hate the American system.”

“Bad tips?” Violet asks.

“Well, I did get tipped forty dollars for a coffee,” Jade says, “but I wanted to throw the money back in his smug little face.”

“Forty dollars for a coffee, isn’t that that rich husband behaviour you are always looking for in a man?” Violet jokes.

“It was Jackson,” Jade says.

“I am going to set his house on fire,” Violet says.

“No committing arson without me,” Jade says.

“You sound tired,” Violet says, “you should sleep.”

“Okay.”

“Goodnight Jade.”

“Night Violet.”


	25. Good For Erica

Violet is watching Stiles, who is talking to Boyd. Boyd does not look impressed but she isn’t sure she has ever seen him look happy about anything. “What does Stiles want with poor Vernon?” Violet asks.

“I do not know,” Jade says, looking at them. “But he doesn’t look happy.”

“Does Boyd ever look happy?” Scott asks.

“Maybe he is just lonely,” Jade says, “I see him sit by himself a lot.”

“Don’t,” Violet says catching her arm as she goes to offer him tea. “We have to get these notes done or it’ll be our heads.”

“Fine,” Jade says, looking back at the notes. “By the way what is the pretty flowers you moved into the grow-box in the van? The purple ones?”

“Oh, just something pretty,” Violet says, but she can feel the glare from Scott. Wolfsbane, she is growing wolfsbane right next to the lavender, and he can’t take that personally because as far as he is concerned, not all werewolves are good, and she needs protection. So she doesn’t even bother to look at him.

“They are pretty,” Jade agrees.

Stiles sits down next to Violet with a goofy smile on his face. He nods and Scott and Scott immediately turns to Jade. “Can you meet us later, we have a surprise,” Scott says.

“Oh no,” Violet says.

“I planned it,” Stiles says quickly.

“Oh,” Violet brightens up immediately, “yay.”

“A surprise?” Jade asks.

“Just go with it, Stiles plans great surprises,” Violet says.

“Not fair, I helped,” Scott says.

“That just worries me,” Violet tells Scott, “and I would like to remind you Scott, that my forgiveness cannot be bought, especially not easily.”

Allison and Lydia slowly move to join the table. Allison gives Scott an awkward smile, and Lydia just starts talking. “I feel like this entire school has turned on its head in the time I was gone,” Lydia says.

“Well, without a queen how does the kingdom manage,” Violet says.

“I know you are mocking me Violet, but since I know that is how you show affection, I choose to take that as a compliment,” Lydia says.

“It was a thinly veiled compliment,” Violet says. Lydia smirks.

“I know,” Lydia says. Allison starts to ask Lydia about work and when Allison can hear the next table over discussing Isaac, she makes an effort to talk louder, be more distracting, she doesn’t know even a tenth of the reasons but she knows that it can’t be nice to overhear. Violet smiles at her, letting her know she appreciates the effort even if it’s in vain, even if avoiding talking about him is worse than talking about him.

“What the hell is that,” Lydia says breaking the conversation. They all turn to look where Lydia is looking and they see Erica. She walks in with a confidence and a pride none of them have ever seen in her before, her hair down in its natural waves, all pretty and precise, her makeup much less subtle with red lipstick to match the tones of the black leather jacket. “Did you lend her your wardrobe?” Lydia asks Violet.

“No,” Violet says slowly, “but it does look like something I would wear.”

“Good for Erica,” Jade says. “She deserved a confidence boost.” Erica waves at Scott and Stiles, with a smile as she takes the bite out of an apple. “You look hot.”

“I know right,” Erica smiles. She looks at Violet. “You okay Vee? You look… worried?”

“You just, didn’t call me back, I didn’t think you would be in school today,” Violet says.

“I won’t be in next class actually, I have somewhere to be,” Erica tells them. “But we can talk later?”

“I am glad you’re feeling better,” Jade says. She is focusing on the positivity in the situation, as Jade is good at doing, whereas Allison has the same concerned look in her eyes but is less good at hiding it, and Scott and Stiles are just silenced.

“I am feeling, positively… transformed,” Erica says. “Catch you later.” She exits quickly and Violet lets her get out the doors before she gets up to follow her.

“I forgot, I had to give her something, I’ll see you later okay?” Violet tells Jade.

“Don’t be skipping chemistry on me because we have a test,” Jade says.

“If I miss it, it won’t be because of the test,” Violet says with a smile.

“I don’t think that makes it any better,” Jade calls after her. Jade sighs looking back at the boys, who look agitated. “Do you two need to leave?”

“Yes, but I don’t want to be rude,” Scott says.

“I have Allison and Lydia, I think I can survive,” Jade says. “I’ll see you two later?”

“Yes, for the surprise,” Scott says.

“For the surprise.”

They get out the school just as Erica gets into the passenger side of Derek’s car. Derek is looking at Scott, trying to make a point but he also notices Violet, the rage in her eyes and he doesn’t quite understand it. “Derek…” Scott says.

“Who else was it going to be?” Violet demands, reaching for her keys.

“What are you doing?” Scott asks, as Derek waves and pulls away.

“What do you think I am doing?” Violet asks heading to the van.

“No, don’t,” Scott tries.

“Scott if you want to try and get back on my good side, you have to learn to fucking trust me,” Violet says.

“You are a time bomb when Jade isn’t around, I have no idea what you might do,” Scott says, “Derek is dangerous, he-,”

“He wants you, and he doesn’t like me, he wants to get you on his side, he isn’t going to hurt me Scott, you just, have to let me do my thing,” Violet says.

“Are you still trying to get back at me?” Scott asks.

“Funnily enough not everything I do is about you Scott,” Violet says, “Isaac, Erica, none of this is about you. It’s about me and my friends and the personal war Derek is waging against me. He might not even know what he is doing, he is focused on you, but I am going to make it fucking clear.”

“Violet,” Scott says, but Stiles grabs his arm. Stiles knows he can’t hold back Scott, but he knows he might be able to get him to listen.

“Let her go,” Stiles says.

“You are okay with this?” Scott asks.

“No, not even remotely, I am not comfortable with the idea in the slightest, but we have to face it, trying to stop her won’t make a difference, it will just make her worse, and Scott, powers or not I still think she could take you,” Stiles points out.

“What about Derek?” Scott asks.

“With the bundle of wolfsbane that girl has in her purse, I think she is ahead of the game,” Stiles says.

“She is carrying it on her?” Scott asks.

“She isn’t an idiot Scott, hot headed sure, but she doesn’t have a death wish.”

“Really? Again?” Derek asks as Violet ducks under his arm and into the house.

“I am beginning to think this is personal Hale,” Violet says. Derek looks at her, arms crossed.

“What is personal?” he asks.

“Erica? You weren’t happy enough with how much you fucked up with Isaac and then you go and turn Erica?” Violet asks. Derek pauses.

“You go to school together,” he nods, trying to rationalize it.

“It is a little more than that,” she pulls out her phone and shows the lock screen, the photo from the bonfire of her, Jade and Erica. Derek looks frustrated. “So, you want to say you didn’t have a clue?”

“I didn’t,” he admits. “I just, saw a girl who could benefit from the gift of the bite and I offered it to her, she said yes.”

“The gift,” Violet says, “you keep saying that and I am yet to see any real evidence of it being a gift.”

“You are faster, stronger, you heal in ways humans can’t, the bite fixes things that doctors can’t, it gives you the power to stand against those who could harm you, and you see no benefits, your brother seems to have benefited just fine,” Derek says.

“I think Scott would have been just fine without it, too,” Violet says.

“I am sure he would have still got the girl, made the team, been a hero,” Derek says.

“I am not buying into it, Derek,” Violet says.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Erica asks, coming in from another room.

“I didn’t know you were still here,” Violet says, “and you shouldn’t be, hunters regularly check this place looking for him,” she looks at Derek, “you really should find somewhere better to hide.”

“I am working on it,” Derek says flatly.

“Vi,” Erica says, “why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because it isn’t a solution,” Violet says. “Becoming a werewolf doesn’t fix everything.”

“But it helps,” Erica says, “with everything going on in my life, don’t you think I deserved to know there was a choice?”

“The risk,” Violet says, “it’s insane.”

“But the reward is worth it, I haven’t felt like this… ever, Violet, I feel amazing,” Erica says.

“What about the full moon, you might feel differently then,” Violet says.

“I know you think you’re looking out for me, but I made this choice and I stand by it,” Erica says.

“Okay,” Violet says. She glares at Derek. “But I am not okay with you, you are still on my list.”

“I don’t even know what that means,” Derek says. Violet heads for the door, but she holds back, remembering.

“Oh, Erica,” Violet says. “You… you can’t tell Jade.”

“What?” Erica asks.

“Allison, Scott, Stiles, and I, we know, Lydia doesn’t and Jade, Jade can’t know, she doesn’t want to know, she doesn’t need to know, please, please don’t tell her,” Violet says.

“Vee-,”

“It’s what she wants, she doesn’t want to know, it’s her choice, please, can we respect that?” Violet asks. Erica nods.

“Okay, I promise I won’t tell Jade a thing,” Erica says.

“Thank you,” Violet says.

“Are we okay?” Erica asks. Violet nods, despite the pain in her stomach, despite the guilt and the horror she feels for leaving Erica alone enough for this to happen. She is glad Erica is happy, but she knows it might not last, she knows she is in danger now, and she won’t be able to fix that for her.

“We are always okay,” Violet says.

“I’m glad,” Erica says.

“We can go shopping, get some new clothes, have a coffee, hang out,” Violet says. Erica nods and Derek just stares at the two of them, wondering what he has gotten himself into. “I have somewhere to be, but… next time I can, can you not avoid me?”

“Okay,” Erica says, “I will pick up next time.”


	26. Do You Want To Talk About It?

“Stiles, why are we here?” Violet asks recognizing the building immediately.

“Well, when we were kids this was your favourite place, when you were sad, when nothing else would work, this place would always fix anything, you were never sad when you were here,” Stiles says.

“What is this place?” Jade asks, just looking at what she can see to be a large, mostly innocuous building.

“Remember how you said that you remember being little and probably the best memory for being that small was that day trip you took, just you and your dad and you don’t remember why your mum wasn’t there, but it was just him?” Scott asks Jade.

“Roller rink,” Jade says, “I remember.”

“Well, we don’t have roller rinks in Beacon Hills,” Stiles says, “but we do have the next best thing.”

“Ice skating rink,” Violet says with a smile.

“No way,” Jade says, eyes full of excitement.

“How did you pull this off Stilinski?” Violet asks as Stiles pulls the keys from his pocket.

“I have my ways,” he says.

“Did you pay Boyd for the keys?” Violet asks. He nods. “Smart.”

“Do you know how to skate?” Scott asks. “On ice, anyway?”

“I haven’t fallen over once,” Jade tells him. “And yourself?”

“He is useless,” Violet says.

“I am fine,” Scott says trying to play it off, “I am fine.”

“He fell over once and refused to go on the ice again,” Violet says.

“For the whole trip?” Jade asks.

“For our whole childhood,” Violet says. Jade laughs.

“I was a kid,” Scott says, “I will be fine now, my balance is great.”

“I am not going near you,” Violet says.

“I don’t want you near me,” Scott says, like a child. Violet just laughs at him.

“Put on your skates Sonja Henie,” Stiles tells him passing him the skates, and then some to Jade. Scott looks perplexed.

“He doesn’t get that reference,” Violet says tapping Stiles shoulder and picking up her skates.

“Surely from context he could guess,” Stiles says. Violet drags Stiles across to the benches to get their skates on, letting Jade and Scott talk.

Violet looks at the two of them, as Jade gets onto the ice and Scott tries to follow her. Violet takes ages lacing up her skates, watching them. “Do you want to talk about it?” Stiles asks.

“Do you?” Violet responds.

“I meant Erica, not Isaac,” Stiles says.

“Oh,” Violet sighs. “She seems happy. She seems healthy, I can’t argue with the logic.”

“Except the hunters and the full moon,” Stiles says.

“I am trying really hard to not think about that,” Violet says.

“But she chose this?” Stiles asks.

“If Derek Hale came to you, with his face and his smile and said I could take all your pain away, would you say no?” Violet asks.

“His face?” Stiles asks.

“You aren’t trying to tell me you don’t think Derek Hale is attractive,” Violet laughs.

“I hadn’t thought about it,” Stiles says. Violet laughs.

“I have,” Violet says. Stiles gives her a look. “I only think about it to piss of Scott.”

“Naturally,” Stiles says, he watches Jade as she moves around the ice, like it is barely any different from the regular ground, whereas Scott is scrambling across the ice like a deer finding it’s legs. Violet sees him watching them, as they smile and laugh.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Violet asks. He thinks about it for a moment.

“No,” he says, offering his hand. “Do you want to skate?”

“Do you need the support?” Violet asks looking at his hand. “Or do you want make this fun?” Violet gleams as she slides onto the ice, catching a hand on the side so she doesn’t trip, like Stiles as he rushes on trying to catch her. She catches his hand and doesn’t let him fall. “You are so easy to provoke,” she laughs.

“Careful,” Jade tells Scott. “You don’t want to cause a serious injury.”

“I don’t bruise easy,” Scott tells her, “I haven’t hurt myself seriously in a long time.”

“I am glad you have that confidence but I am still lot coming any closer, if you fall, you will take me down with you,” Jade laughs.

“I won’t fall, take my hand?” Scott asks.

“Not a chance,” Jade says, even though she wants to, even though she can’t stop thinking about it. “I will help from here until I trust you won’t ruin my record.”

“If he acts like a dumbass and breaks his leg, how does he explain that to her when it just… heals?” Stiles whispers to Violet.

“He won’t be that dumb,” Violet reassures Stiles as she tries a spin.

“Are you sure, it’s your brother,” Stiles says.

“I do see your concern,” Violet agrees. “Let me go steal the girl.”

“My idealized version of you in my mind, never responds like that,” Stiles says.

“Oh, Stilinski, you should know better than to have an idealized version of anyone,” Violet says scrunching her nose up at him as she skates away.

“It was a joke, but okay.”

“Hey,” Violet says, grabbing Jade’s hand and pulling her further out onto the centre of the ice.

“Careful,” Jade tells her.

“I am not my brother,” Violet reminds her. “Who, I might add, you are looking pretty cosy with.”

“Stop it,” Jade warns her.

“Just saying.”

Violet brings Jade over to the photobooth and pulls her in. Jade pulls the curtain back to eye the boys who are still taking off their skates. “Don’t go anywhere, I am dragging you both in here,” she tells them both.

“Okay Jade,” they both say.

Jade and Violet spend nearly ten minutes in the photobooth, messing around with filters and stickers and getting too many low-quality strips of photos. A photobooth, both the girls had often considered, was the best representation of the mix of them both, it was low quality photos but the best memories, and they were real, they were a true representation of the moment. And Violet collected them in the box load, and Jade had set after set of her and Violet. It was rare the girls could pass a photobooth and not at least go for one set of photos. They were like that.

“She looks like she is having fun,” Scott says.

“Violet or Jade?” Stiles asks, but he knows the answer.

“Both,” Scott says realizing how he said it.

“You forgot the other thing you were supposed to be doing today, didn’t you?” Stiles says rolling his eyes, “she won’t forgive you if you don’t start somewhere.”

“This isn’t going to make her forgive me,” Scott says.

“No,” Stiles admits. “But considering only time will, considering you aren’t changing your stance on Isaac-,”

“Why should I? I am just protecting her,” Scott says.

“I am not going to argue this with you again Scott, best intentions, worst execution,” Stiles says. They boys watch as Violet starts to get out the booth and wave one of them over, but Jade drags her in again.

“One more set then get you asses over here,” Jade tells them both with a smile. Scott keeps his eyes on the booth, on where Jade had just been, smiling at them.

“You like her, don’t you?” Stiles asks.

“What?” Scott says.

“I mean, you would be an idiot not to,” Stiles says, “but you really do, don’t you?”

“I don’t know what you mean,” Scott says.

“Don’t try and lie to me dude,” Stiles says, “Jade, you like her.”

“Does it matter?” Scott asks.

“Yes,” Stiles says a little too forcefully. “What if she likes you too?”

“What if she doesn’t,” Scott says simply. “Jade is good, she is pure good. And even if she did like me, with everything going on in my life, with what happened with Allison, I don’t think it would exactly be fair for me-,”

“Please don’t finish that sentence,” Stiles says. He hurts, deeply, but he wants Jade to be happy and he wants Scott to be happy, and he knows they could do that for each other. “Should it be up to her to decide?”

“You sound like Violet,” Scott says. Stiles shrugs.

“Your sister is pretty right, about half the time,” Stiles says. Scott chuckles.

“Yeah, and painfully wrong the other half,” Scott says.

“It’s a balance,” Stiles says.

“Hey, golden boy, your turn,” Jade calls with a smile, “come get some poor-quality photos with me, or else.”

“I’m coming,” Scott says.

“You next Stiles,” Jade tells him. Stiles nods, looking at Jade as she pulls Scott into the booth.

“I’ll be,” Stiles says, “waiting.”


End file.
